Story by Lisa Masuku-Kurira
BULAWAYO – RESIDENTS of Cowdray Park in Bulawayo are convinced the rollout of the Kwangu/Ngakwami Presidential Title Deeds Programme in the suburb will be an empowering initiative set to enhance community livelihoods.
Launched in 2023, the programme has now reached Cowdray Park, home to over 70 000 people, many of whom have lived without formal title to their land or access to essential services.
“We are just a forerunner of the committee responsible for this programme. My duty is to identify problems and report back to the President so we can kick-start the programme. What is pleasing about this whole exercise is that the residents are taking ownership of the programme,” the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities, Engineer Kudzanayi Chinyanga said.
The tour included officials from the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities, local legislators, and city council representatives all working to identify service delivery gaps in areas such as roads, sewer, and drainage.
“Cowdray-Park has been one of the isolated areas in Bulawayo, and we feel this project will improve the outlook of our area. As you can see, we do not have roads, sewer or even bridges. It becomes a huge challenge, especially during the rainy season, because people cannot cross this area as it will be flooded,” a resident, Joe Nkomo said.
“This Presidential Title Deeds Programme will help us a lot. Especially people like us who got stands during the Garikayi/Hlalani Kuhle Programme. As residents, we are very happy about the rollout of this programme,” another resident, Charles Ben said.
The Kwangu/Ngakwami Presidential Title Deeds Programme is a flagship initiative under the Second Republic’s inclusive development agenda, aiming to formalise ownership in informal and underserved settlements across Zimbabwe.
“We want to extend our appreciation to His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa. This shows that our President is a listening President. We have three wards here, but most of them do not have proper sewer systems or roads,” Cowdray-Park Member of Parliament, Honourable Arthur Mujeyi said.
For Cowdray Park residents, the road to development may have been long and bumpy, but with title deeds and essential infrastructure now in focus the future looks more secure, more formal, and far more hopeful.
