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OpenChitungwiza Residents Fume Over Council's Threat To Bulldoze Perimeter Walls
Residents of Chitungwiza have expressed anger over the Chitungwiza Municipality’s imposition of fines on unapproved perimeter walls and a ban on the use of containers and makeshift cabins by traders.
The two contentious issues were communicated through separate notices issued on 27 January signed by the acting town clerk, Japson Nemuseso and shared through social media.
In one of the notices, Chitungwiza Municipality instructed homeowners and small businesses with unapproved perimeter walls commonly known as durawalls to regularise them by 28 February 2025.
For early compliance, residents will pay a regular US$150 fee, while late responses will attract a US$200 penalty and failure to regularise may result in demolition of structures at the owners’ expense.
The second notice targets small-scale businesses operating in makeshift cabins and containers without proper licenses, permits, or leases.
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The council threatened to confiscate goods and equipment if operations do not cease by 6 February.
In an interview with NewsHub, Tawanda Kagande, a Ward 21 resident, described the council’s move as a “prescription for the wrong ailment.”
Kagande said the council should address poor water drainage and blockages caused by new settlements, resulting in the disruption of natural water flow, flash floods and soil erosion. He said:
On the issue of durawalls, the local municipality must first consult with the people on what needs to be fixed.
The real concern is the waterways, like those under the road from VID to Chibuku Stadium, which have been blocked by houses built on top of them.
He also questioned the council’s targeting of small-scale businesses, noting that many operators had received approval from municipal officials before setting up their structures. Said Kagande:
It’s not like small-scale business operators and vendors wake up and install cabins without consultation. Some of them were advised by local municipality officials. The authorisation would have come from council officials.
It’s important that the council first consult cabin and container owners to determine which officials authorised them to install their structures and operate in those areas.
Alice Kuvheya, the director of the Chitungwiza Residents Trust (CHITREST), voiced strong concerns about the local authority’s neglect of the city’s pressing issues.
She also chided Chitungwiza Municipality for misplaced priorities, pointing out that the council is failing to pay its workers, while sewage has been flowing into homes for months.
She also highlighted the danger that children face, as they can’t play outside safely due to the poor state of the city’s infrastructure.
Kuvheya challenged the council to fulfil its promises, particularly regarding the provision of vending stalls, adequate water supply, and garbage bins for residents.
Another concerned resident, Yeukai Kazingizi, raised the issue of the US$200 fee the council is demanding.
She questioned the fairness of this charge and also asked where vendors are expected to operate if the council doesn’t provide legal spaces for them.
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