By Correspondent
The High Court has ordered City of Harare (CoH) to refurbish hostels in Mbare to make them safe for residents.
Judge Justice Nyaradzo Munangati-Manongwa gave the ruling after a resident, Israel Mabhoo and Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) had sued CoH.
CoH is being accused of dereliction of duty and for condemning residents to live in squalid conditions.
Breach of Mandate
“The Judge ruled that CoH had breached its legal duty to the residents or tenants,” Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said.
The judge said Harare has completely neglected the basic duties and obligations of a landlord and local authority.
This has resulted in residents of the Mbare hostels living in squalid and intolerable conditions.
“The local authority was ordered to immediately restore basic essential services such as a functional water and sewer reticulation system, the cleaning and sanitation.
The flats are Matapi, Matererini, Mbare Flats, Nenyere (also Magaba) and Shawasha hostels.
New Amenities
Council is now expected to take immediate steps to renovate and refurbish the hostels to make them safe.
Other amenities required include the collection of refuse and installation of fire extinguishers, fire warning devices and fire escapes.
Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe and National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Zhemu Soda were cited as respondents.
When the rehabilitation process begins Council has been mandated to provide temporary shelter such as tents and basic services.
History of Failure
Ahead of the 2018 elections, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga promised to replace the dilapidated flats with modern structures.
He later claimed that central government’s efforts were thwarted by the opposition-led council.
However, the opposition says Zanu PF politicians have always frustrated plans to rehabilitate the dilapidated Mbare hostels.
The flats were built during the colonial era and house thousands of families who use communal toilets and water points.
In 2011, a project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to renovate Matapi flats was hindered by political interference.
