Anarchy and Corruption Engulf Borrowdale as Developers Run Riot Harare’ s once-exclusive suburb
n By Kwedu News n nn n Harare - Borrowdale suburb is on a collision course with unchecked, high-density development, a crisis fueled by alleged corruption and blatant disregard for urban planning. n nn n While developers advertise and sell
anostrofy By Kwedu News
Harare - Borrowdale suburb is on a collision course with unchecked, high-density development, a crisis fueled by alleged corruption and blatant disregard for urban planning.
While developers advertise and sell plots for three-story apartments and cluster homes, local residents are left to contend with a crumbling infrastructure and a city council that appears complicit.
A report by one of Zimbabwe's daily papers, NewsDay, developers are reportedly bypassing established approval processes, getting plans rubber-stamped at Cleveland House without the knowledge of the local district office.
The article, penned by Catherine Murombedzi, says this back-channel maneuvering has the Borrowdale Residents and Ratepayers Association (BRRA) up in arms.
The BRRA’s Chairperson, Robert Mutyasira, minces no words, accusing the City of Harare of fostering a toxic environment of illicit dealings.
“Underhand deals are taking place,” Mutyasira said in an interview with Murombedzi.
He claims that the normal procedure of a developer first approaching the district office has been ignored.
Instead, approvals are granted directly at Cleveland House, suggesting a process "warped" by corruption where “money is alleged to have exchanged hands at the detriment of the community.”
The consequences of this haphazard development are already dire. Borrowdale’s infrastructure, designed for a low-density population, is buckling under the strain.
The suburb's sewer system, already located on a challenging high ridge line, cannot handle the influx of new residents.
In the article, Mutyasira questioned how the city plans to support densification when it isn't even carrying out basic repairs.
"With the city authorities not carrying out any infrastructure repairs, all major roads are potholed, no council water flowing, no public school or clinic built to cater for the ever growing population," he stated.
Beyond the failing infrastructure, the developments are causing irreversible environmental damage, as Murombedzi's article points out.
Wetlands, crucial to the local ecosystem, are being paved over, while the growing reliance on boreholes is rapidly depleting the water table.
Residents are forced to drill deeper and deeper, with some now hitting water at depths of 130 meters, a sharp increase from the previous 40-50 meters.
As Mutyasira sees it, the solution is transparency and accountability.
“We call on council to stop regularisation of illegal developments,” he said, calling for illegal structures to be demolished at the developer’s expense.
“The environment is not ours, it belongs to future generations. We found it intact. We cannot fold our hands while greedy people vandalised the environment," he said.
The BRRA’s concerns resonate with the recent findings of the Justice Maphios Cheda-led commission of inquiry into Harare City Council’s governance, as noted in the NewsDay report.
The commission exposed widespread irregularities and systemic breakdowns, with the pervasive influence of "land barons" facilitated by city officials.
