07/10/2026
The Law on Wetlands and Demolitions has two sets of rules: one applies to the poor, while another one is suitable for the Rich and powerful in Society
A key strategic meeting now happens in Harare Metropolitan Province: the joint sitting of the ruling party's Harare Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC), led by Chairman Godwills Masimirembwa, and the Provincial Development Committee (PDC), led by the Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Hon. Senator Charles Tawengwa.
The PDC brings together the heads of all government ministries, departments, and agencies; local authorities; civil society; and heads of residents' associations. The ruling party has asserted the supremacy of the party over the government.
Yesterday, 6 October 2026, the meeting received critical submissions from Hon. Senator Tawengwa, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, and provincial officials on the state of service delivery and local authorities. An interactive plenary followed, in which officials from government, civil society and the ruling party spoke to the magnitude of service delivery challenges across the Metropolitan Province.
THE DOUBLE STANDARD
One submission demands interrogation: the selective application of the law on housing demolitions and the prohibition of construction on wetlands.
There was overwhelming anger at the demolition of houses, both those illegally built by poor, homeless people and those illegally built by the rich and powerful in low-density areas.
Look at the Gletwyn wetland: construction continues from Enterprise Road up the valley and across the wetland, yet no public official has made a noise about it. Meanwhile, the poorest members of society in high-density settlements have watched council bulldozers destroy their homes.
The same injustice plays out on our streets. Harare's vendors are hounded, while those selling in low-density suburbs rarely get targeted.
The HRT'S Demand
During the session, the Harare Residents' Trust (HRT) urged Hon. Senator Tawengwa to take up the outstanding report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Financial Affairs of the City of Harare, led by retired High Court judge Justice Maphios Cheda, a report that revealed serious, systemic corruption, abuse of power and authority by council officials, and the repression of vendors. The Commission handed over the report to the President for his action.
"The demand for vendors to have point-of-sale machines as a requirement for official registration and licensing is elitist and discriminatory," said Precious Shumba, Director of the Harare Residents' Trust. "How can the government, the mayor of Harare, and other public officials create the misleading impression that only vendors have to have these point-of-sale machines while all those informal traders operating downtown Harare and in all the malls dotted across the central business district do not have them? Above that these other informal businesses do not accept payment using mobile money, swipe or ZiG currency. Why is the government and the City of Harare not targeting those first before targeting vendors, the poorest and most vulnerable members of the informal sector?"
A Promise that must be kept
Ruling party delegates requested the Minister to summon all council directors and councillors, including chairpersons and mayors, to be part of the meeting and answer to concerns raised about deteriorating service delivery. Hon. Senator Tawengwa indicated that this request would be implemented. There was emphasis by some of the delegates on government officials mentioning that everything they have done is in the name of the President.
Hon. Senator Tawengwa jumped to the defence of all the government officials, saying they implemented their assignments in line with their targets set by their ministers or permanent secretaries, who all acted on behalf of the Government of Zimbabwe. The President appointed the Ministers. During evaluations of government workers, they are assessed based on what their ministers tasked them to do and therefore should not confuse the two important distinctions in mandates.
The HRT will hold him to that commitment.
More updates from the meeting are coming.
