The City of Harare has launched a sweeping urban clean-up operation, targeting more than 22,000 illegal housing stands as part of a wider effort to restore order to the capital’s chaotic development landscape. This ambitious campaign, spearheaded by the Harare City Council and aligned with the government’s national regularisation agenda, is aimed at clamping down on decades of unregulated construction and illegal land occupations.
The crackdown comes amid growing public pressure to address the mushrooming of illegal settlements across the city, many of which lack basic infrastructure such as roads, sewer systems, and clean water access. These informal settlements, often the result of land barons selling undesignated or state-owned land to desperate home seekers, have created planning and service delivery nightmares for local authorities. According to the latest report from the Town Clerk, the clean-up operation is not merely punitive but part of a structured programme to regularise certain settlements while demolishing others deemed unsuitable for formalisation.
“The City of Harare is committed to restoring order in line with the National Human Settlement Policy and the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1),” reads the official report compiled by the Town Clerk’s office. “Regularisation of dysfunctional settlements is only possible when planning standards are met. Our aim is not to displace, but to guide and formalise development that has gone unchecked for years.”
The report outlines four main categories of settlements under consideration for regularisation. These include pay schemes and cooperatives that were allocated land properly but failed to meet infrastructure requirements; partially built private developments with valid permits but lacking certificates of compliance; individuals allocated land on council or state land (infill areas) that are not registered in council databases; and land invasions in high-density areas where planned settlements were overtaken by informal occupants. In all these cases, the City of Harare aims to bring developments into compliance through a standard operating procedure (SOP) and detailed checklist created by its Regularisation Task Force.
However, the regularisation exercise also clearly outlines areas that do not qualify for any form of formalisation. These include settlements on environmentally sensitive lands such as wetlands and heritage sites, land built over school properties or recreational centres, any structures under litigation or court dispute, all invasions that occurred after the September 24, 2023, cut-off date, and any housing units located in low-density residential zones. “These areas pose long-term risks to the environment and public safety,” said Acting Town Clerk Engineer Mabhena Moyo. “We cannot compromise national planning policies or allow settlement patterns that disrupt the city’s master plan.”
To date, the City of Harare’s Regularisation Task Force has visited 101 sites, covering a total of 22,255 illegal stands. Out of these, 16,424 stands spread across 93 sites have been earmarked for regularisation. Notably, only 4 sites (2,670 stands) on private land have been fully regularised so far. An additional 62 sites, with a total of 11,119 stands, are in the process of being formalised under offer letters issued for parallel development. Meanwhile, 20 sites (2,408 stands) remain without offer letters and are flagged as built-up invasions. A further 7 sites, representing 227 stands, have been referred to the Department of Housing and Community Services (DHCS) as vacant but unbuilt properties. However, 12 sites containing 5,831 stands have been outright rejected for regularisation due to their location or legal status.
The process of regularising settlements involves several steps, including endorsement of land plans, valuation and revaluation of land, payment of endowment and regularisation fees, opening of council rates accounts, and submission of building plans. The Town Clerk’s report highlights the slow progress of some private developers and housing cooperatives, many of whom have failed to meet these conditions, leading to a backlog in formalising these areas. “In many cases, developers are reluctant to complete infrastructure installations or obtain compliance certificates. The city is stepping in to enforce these obligations so that beneficiaries can begin paying for services and taxes,” the report notes.
This clean-up drive follows public outrage sparked by the leak of an internal city council memo which many feared signalled mass demolitions without notice. The memo caused widespread panic on social media, prompting city officials to clarify their intentions. “That memo was an administrative draft,” explained Council spokesperson Innocent Ruwende. “It was not meant to be a directive. All actions undertaken by the city will follow legal processes and national policy frameworks.” Acting Town Clerk Mabhena Moyo reaffirmed that there would be no demolitions carried out without due legal processes, further reassuring residents that the city’s aim was to fix—not create—problems.
Neighbourhoods such as Belvedere, Kuwadzana, Mabvuku, Budiriro, and Mbare have already witnessed the effects of this operation. In some of these areas, demolitions have begun or are expected shortly, while others are undergoing assessment for potential regularisation. Residents in affected areas have been encouraged to verify the legal status of their properties with council offices and refrain from purchasing land through unregistered dealers.
As the city moves ahead with its regularisation plan, officials are calling for cooperation from the public and stakeholders alike. “The future of Harare’s urban structure depends on bold but fair action,” said Moyo. “We must strike a balance between compassion for residents and the need to restore order in city planning.”
With thousands of families caught between legality and uncertainty, the success of this campaign could serve as a turning point in Harare’s urban development. But as pressure mounts on authorities to deliver housing solutions amid a backdrop of economic hardship, the city’s approach will likely remain under close scrutiny from residents, urban planners, and human rights organisations. For now, Harare’s message is clear: the days of unchecked development are numbered.
