Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe inadvertently revealed the true reason behind the order to halt the opposition-controlled Harare City Council’s demolition of homes built on illegally acquired land.
During his ministry’s strategic workshop for 2025 in Bulawayo on Thursday, Garwe said that the decision to stop the demolitions was intended to prevent negative publicity as the country prepares for the SADC extraordinary summit this week.
Garwe further accused the opposition CCC-led Harare City Council of timing the demolitions to coincide with the summit, which will be attended by regional leaders, in an attempt to attract unwanted attention. He said (via ZimLive):
We are all aware of what has been happening in Harare and Karoi were the two councils went on a demolition drive knowing fully well that starting this weekend, we have visitors.
There are about seven heads of states coming to Victoria Falls for the World Children’s Day commemorations, followed by the SADC Troika and they decided to demolish people’s homes.
They waited for six months for people to build those houses for them to realise that the houses were illegally built. So, we put a stop to that.
Garwe said the ZANU PF-ledt government was not promoting illegal settlements but said councils must follow the law before carrying demolitions on people’s homes. He said:
We are not promoting illegal settlements but we are saying there are certain process and procedures that must be followed by authorities before demolishing people’s homes.
If you are to give notice period give them adequate notice period you, cannot give a person to say in five days, I will come and demolish.
It is inhumane, it is not acceptable and as central government, we have said no to demolitions.
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