By Princess Eugene Majuru
Cultural Heritage Sovereign Custodian & Descendant of King Mbari
For decades, the standard response to the critical state of the Mbare hostels has been a predictable cycle of empty political promises, superficial coats of paint, and cosmetic plumbing repairs. But let us be entirely clear: talking about renovating these flats is not just misguided—it is profoundly irresponsible.
The structural degradation of these colonial-era relics has reached a breaking point. Severe water logging, crumbling foundations, and relentless infestations of mujuru (termites) have completely hollowed out the core architecture. These buildings are no longer just an eyesore; they are a looming catastrophic failure. They could collapse at any moment, and we cannot afford to wait for a national disaster to strike before we act.
A Legacy of Colonial Degradation and Overcrowding
To truly understand the rot, one must look at the history. These hostels were intentionally built by the colonial administration to serve as temporary, bare-minimum housing for single male migrant laborers. They were never designed to support families, let alone communities.
Today, due to endemic poverty and a massive housing deficit, rooms originally meant for a single bachelor are routinely packed with as many as 14 people. This intense overcrowding has overwhelmed the fundamental infrastructure of the flats.
Subterranean Ruin: The sewage and water systems have suffered decades of improper use and overcapacity. Pipes are constantly blocked, leaking raw effluent directly into living areas.
The Daily Reality: Post-independence residents are literally left to walk through sewage outside their front doors.
Unearned Revenue: Despite completely failing to service the flats, the Harare City Council has no shame in continuing to collect rentals from citizens who are forced to live in absolute squalor.
There is absolutely nothing worth preserving here. These hostels stand as a dark, physical reminder of how Zimbabweans were systemically dehumanized during the colonial era. Holding onto them—or pretending a fresh coat of paint will solve a structural emergency—only prolongs that suffering in the post-colonial era.
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No Excuses: Wealth, Sovereignty, and Accountability
Zimbabwe is a nation blessed with vast mineral wealth and rich natural resources. There is absolutely no financial justification for our people to live in hazardous, filthy conditions 46 years after achieving independence.
Why does it seem to pain our authorities so much to spend state resources directly on the well-being of their own citizens? It takes remarkably little capital relative to the country’s national resource revenues to properly address this mess.
We must reject the reactive governance model where leaders wait for a building to collapse, only to run around giving somber press conferences, offering empty condolences, and promising to pay for funeral costs. True leadership is proactive. It values human life before a tragedy occurs.
The Royal Call to Action
As a direct descendant of Supreme King Mbari, the historic ruler of Harare after whom this very township was named, I find this state of affairs deeply embarrassing and unacceptable. A truly responsible local council and government would not fold their hands and watch their people navigate a literal disaster zone daily.
The mandate is clear, and the work must begin immediately:
Condemn and Demolish: Completely level these unsafe, colonial-era delapidations.
Rehouse Safely: Implement an immediate, dignified temporary rehousing plan for all current occupants.
Rebuild Anew: Construct modern, structurally sound, and fully serviced high-density family apartments in their place.
It is time to restore dignity to Mbare. Stop the cosmetic fixes, respect the lives of our citizens, and pull down these death traps before they pull themselves down on the families inside them.
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