In an unsettling turn of events in Harare, residents like Methro Masunga are facing the heartbreaking reality of home demolitions, which have left them homeless despite years of dedication and savings to build secure lives. The clash between municipal authorities enforcing planning regulations and residents who believed they had legitimate claims to their properties has sparked significant concerns about land rights and governance in Zimbabwe. As this situation unfolds, it highlights the urgent need for accountability and transparency in land administration across the nation.
Harare, Zimbabwe – At around 5 a.m. on Friday, August 14, Methro Masunga, 28, was jolted awake by the sound of bulldozers and shouting municipal police officers. Outside, earth-moving vehicles were preparing to demolish homes in St Martins Extension, a suburb of Harare. Initially mistaking the commotion for roadwork, Masunga quickly realized that her home was among those targeted for destruction.
A single mother of three, Masunga had spent years saving for a home. Working part-time as a cleaner, she diligently set aside whatever she could to purchase a residential stand. “I worked part-time jobs doing laundry and washing dishes in people’s houses for five years, saving where possible. So, when I came here, I paid the deposit and started monthly contributions,” she said, standing among the wreckage of her home.
Masunga’s plight represents a broader dispute over land allocations in Harare, where residents assert they legitimately purchased stands through city council-linked processes, investing their savings into building homes. However, the municipality claims to be enforcing planning regulations against structures built without necessary approvals or on land not designated for housing. In a troubling 2026 development, city council records indicated that over 5,000 houses faced demolition under 37 outstanding High Court orders. Yet, the total number of displaced individuals remains unclear, with a council task force inspecting more than 22,000 sites to identify unauthorized structures.
Authorities assert that demolitions aim to rectify illegal construction and disputed land sales, while residents argue that these measures disproportionately impact those who believe they followed municipal processes. Memory Chengeta, another affected resident, expressed confusion, noting that authorities disregarded a previous court order against demolitions. “There was a court order for them to stop demolitions,” she stated, emphasizing the need for clarity and fairness.
The legal questions surrounding these demolitions have intensified, particularly given a consent order issued by Justice Happias Zhou in late October 2025. The order barred the City of Harare from evicting specific applicants or demolishing their homes without valid court authorization. However, it remains uncertain whether Masunga or Chengeta’s properties were protected under this ruling.
The local council maintains it did not target homes covered by the order. Stanley Gama, a spokesperson for the municipality, claimed that only structures built illegally, despite repeated warnings, were being demolished. Harare’s Mayor Jacob Mafume echoed this sentiment, urging residents to have approved building plans on hand during inspections, while declining to comment on the validity of specific demolitions.
This situation raises critical questions about the legitimacy of land allocations. The information available does not definitively clarify whether the residents possessed proper planning and building approvals based on their allocation letters. Without a comprehensive understanding of the residents’ documents and whether building permits were secured, the justification for the demolitions remains ambiguous.
Precious Shumba, director of the Harare Residents’ Trust, identified the demolitions as deeply concerning, particularly given the existing court order allegedly protecting residents’ rights. Zimbabwe’s Constitution prohibits evictions and demolitions without court oversight, positing significant implications for these events. The National Human Settlements Policy also mandates provisions for alternative housing prior to demolitions, which residents assert were not offered.
The situation reflects longstanding issues within Harare’s land administration, as highlighted in a 2019 commission of inquiry which identified unauthorized land sales and administrative weaknesses within local authorities. Shumba has reached out to the president, advocating for the publication of the commission’s report, while also seeking the implementation of further inquiries into the governance crisis in the city.
Calls for accountability are gaining momentum among residents. David Jenje, chairman of the St Martins Residents Association, stated that many community members paid for their stands years before receiving allocation letters, contending that the demolitions lacked legal grounds. ZimRights, a human rights organization, has further questioned the rule of law in this context, emphasizing the need for oversight and accountability.
Harare South MP Trymore Kanopula has urged a suspension of further demolitions until a comprehensive audit of land allocations is conducted. The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works is now tasked with addressing the matter, with Minister Daniel Garwe clarifying that the government played no direct role in the demolitions and could not influence court processes.
For affected residents like Joachim Nhete, who invested his retirement savings into his home, the loss is devastating. “Unlike some who had home insurance, I didn’t have one,” he lamented, emphasizing his reliance on the legal system to seek justice against the city council. As the situation develops, the residents’ quest for justice and accountability in Harare remains more crucial than ever.