Harare demolitions in St Martins raise questions of accountability and public power abuse

Reports indicate that the City of Harare sold residential stands in St Martins, including to its own employees, with residents paying for the land and investing in building homes. The article questions how the council could sell land and then destroy homes built on it, asking if one department sold what another deemed illegal, or if payments were accepted without proper allocation. It highlights that families have been left homeless, with their belongings removed to council offices, and affected residents have camped at Harare City Council district offices demanding answers.

The article emphasizes that a house represents years of sacrifice for ordinary Zimbabweans and that destroying homes without resolving administrative disputes is reckless and insensitive. It calls for a forensic investigation into the entire land transaction chain in St Martins, identifying those responsible for land allocation, sales, approvals, and ultimately, the demolitions. The article also suggests that if the demolitions proceeded despite recommendations from Zanu PF for a more measured approach, the City of Harare's conduct is even harder to understand.

It concludes by demanding compensation for affected families, an independent audit of the land allocation, and disciplinary or criminal consequences for officials implicated in wr