During the launch of the policy, President Mnangagwa will
also commission blocks of flats in Harare’s Marimba suburb as the Second
Republic walks the talk on providing modern houses that meet the country’s goal
of becoming an upper middle-class economy by 2030.
The launch comes at a time when the opposition, which
controls most local authorities has dismally failed on the housing provision
front, prompting the central Government to intervene and redress the chaos that
was created by successive MDC-led councils.
While urban areas were characterised by the illegal and
haphazard parcelling of stands even in wetlands and on road verges, the policy
that will be launched today will see the construction of ultra-modern
infrastructure that is in sync with the country’s Vision.
As such, regularisation and sanitisation of informal
settlements that sprouted under the opposition’s watch will be carried out, not
only to clean the opposition mess but also towards building back better.
Thus the policy is tailor-made to address the issue of
obsolete and inadequate off-site and on-site infrastructure, the high cost of
building materials, and also address the disparities between rural and urban
development in line with the President’s mantra that no one should be left behind.
In a statement yesterday, National Housing and Social
Amenities Minister Daniel Garwe said the policy proffers alternative housing
financing models.
Running under the theme “Towards well-planned and governed
sustainable human settlements”, the policy is the cornerstone of the National
Development Strategy 1 towards Vision 2030.
“The policy was crafted to create a conducive environment
for all stakeholders to participate in human settlements development.
“This approach was taken after noting deficiencies in the
National Housing Policy of 2012, Government then embarked on consultations and
soliciting of opinions to address these shortcomings inherent in the 2012
policy,” said Minister Garwe.
In the new policy, the Government is taking a deliberate
move to ensure sustainable provision of housing and social amenities in both
rural and urban settlements, in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
“Adverse effects of climate change are also highlighted in
view of the adoption and adaptation of resilient building technologies and
inclination towards green energy, with emphasis on the need to protect
wetlands,” said the statement.
Throughout the implementation of the policy, the country’s
Constitution shall be strictly adhered to with no room for arbitrage. “Government
shall be conscious of the constitutional provision on arbitrary evictions.
“In instances where people have settled on undesignated
sites such as road servitudes, wayleaves, land earmarked for social amenities
and any other designated use, relocation to appropriate places will be
effected,” it added Herald
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