By Princess of Harare
Harare, Zimbabwe (News of The South) – The once vibrant Mbare suburb in Harare, Zimbabwe, is teetering on the brink of a major disaster as its colonial-era flats continue to deteriorate at an alarming rate. Warnings from residents and concerned parties have gone largely unheeded by the Harare City Council, whose negligence and incompetence are now starkly exposed.
Built by British colonialists around 1890 to house bachelors, these structures are now a far cry from habitable. Overcrowding is rampant, with reports of up to eleven people crammed into single rooms. The structural integrity of the buildings is questionable, posing a significant threat to the lives of the occupants.
Adding to the misery, a recent outbreak of lice, locally known as “tsikidzi,” has further highlighted the unsanitary and inhumane conditions in which residents are forced to live. This outbreak is not merely a health concern but a glaring indictment of the authorities responsible for maintaining these living spaces.
“My heart bleeds to see how our heritage is not being respected and the people of Mbare are not being respected,” “I am a dorect descendant of the great former Paramount Chief Mbari, after whom the area is named”.
“They are left to live in inhuman accommodation. The Harare City Council is even not ashamed to collect rentals from these dilapidations. The rentals they collect is not even being ploughed back to improve the standards of these flats; the honest truth is they are not even trying.”
Due to my lineage and Harare being my ancestral land, my heritage, I vow to continue highlighting these critical issues until tangible action is taken. “As Princess of Harare, I will continue to highlight these problems until they are sorted. I have a moral obligation to do this and save people’s lives.”
For years, there have been persistent calls to temporarily rehouse the residents to allow for the demolition and rebuilding of these dilapidated flats. However, these calls have been met with inaction, leaving residents in a state of constant fear.
The consequences of this inaction could be catastrophic. Should a structural collapse or a major health crisis occur, the loss of life could be significant. In such a scenario, the inevitable speeches and expressions of regret from responsible authorities would ring hollow, a stark reminder of their prolonged indifference.
The dire state of Mbare extends beyond the flats themselves. Poor infrastructure for houses, shops, public facilities, roads, and schools, coupled with unmanaged litter, paints a bleak picture of the entire area. This neglect is a disservice to the legacy of Chief Mbari and the dignity of the people who call Mbare home. The whole of Harare is currently a mess especially the roads which have become a death trap.
There is still a window of opportunity to avert this looming disaster. Immediate action is required to temporarily rehouse the residents, conduct thorough structural assessments, and initiate plans for the demolition and construction of safe and dignified housing. The Tsikidzi outbreak serves as an urgent wake-up call that cannot be ignored.
The international community and local civil society organizations are urged to put pressure on the Harare City Council and relevant government bodies to prioritise the safety and well-being of the Mbare residents. Failure to act now will undoubtedly lead to a preventable tragedy, leaving a permanent stain on the conscience of those who stood by and did nothing. The looming deaths will again present spiritual problems as cleansing would need to be carried out. For 45 years no cleansing havs taken place in Harare as the firefsthers say this cannot be done until their chieftainship is restored.
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