Harare Demolitions Leave Families Homeless After Years of Building - Al Jazeera

Bulldozers Strike St Martins

Bulldozers tore through the St Martins Extension suburb of Harare at 5:00 a.m. on Friday, August 14, waking residents to the sound of heavy machinery and shouting municipal police, Al Jazeera reported.

Methro Masunga, a 28-year-old single mother of three, initially mistook the vehicles for routine road grading before realizing her own home was slated for destruction.

I thought they were here for some other business, probably land development or road grading; alas, they had been sent to destroy our homes, Masunga told Al Jazeera. We tried to understand, but no one would hear us.

Years of Savings Demolished

She began making payments in 2015, secured a formal land allocation in 2019, and finalized her paperwork through the city council in 2020.

Similar financial devastation struck Joachim Nhete, who invested over $10,000 of his retirement package into buying land and constructing a home. With no home insurance to cover his losses, Nhete is left to seek financial accountability entirely through the court system. Memory Chengeta, a former street food vendor who is now homeless, said municipal authorities proceeded with the destruction despite the existence of a prior court order.

Residents Cite Court Order Barring Evictions

Residents point to a consent order issued on October 29, 2025, by Justice Happias Zhou in case HCH5444/25, which barred the City of Harare from evicting named applicants or demolishing their homes without a valid court order.

Municipal authorities countered that the targeted structures lacked proper planning approvals or sat on prohibited land. Harare municipal authorities stated that residents were repeatedly warned against building in the area because it had not been adequately serviced.

Demolitions Spark Calls for Audits and Accountability

Precious Shumba, director of the Harare Residents’ Trust, discussed land administration and demolitions in Harare. ZimRights stated the demolitions challenged the rule of law and accountability, while Harare South MP Trymore Kanopula called for a halt to further evictions until land allocations are audited.

The National Human Settlements Policy mandates that alternative accommodation be prepared before any such relocations. Minister Daniel Garwe stated the government did not carry out the demolitions and could not interfere with court processes.