Story by Wellington Makonese
The government has embraced technology in its efforts to regularise some settlements countrywide, and also ensure delivery of 225 000 housing units by 2025.
As the government works towards achieving the target, the regularisation of some settlements remains a government priority.
Speaking during ZBC TV’s Current Affairs programme, Face the Nation this Tuesday, the Acting Chief Director Estate Development and Management in the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities, Engineer Clive Marimo noted that the regularisation process will see some people being relocated, with the ultimate goal being to ensure affordable housing for the country’s citizens.
“Government has come up with regularisation, sanitisation, identifying areas to move those affected by unscrupulous land barons. As government, we are aware of the people’s predicament having been on the waiting list for decades. We know the areas constructed maybe six or years and we are going to regularise these settlements,” he said.
The use of new technology is expected to expedite construction.
“It is the thrust of the Ministry to have affordable housing, in terms of rural and urban we have started to build flats in Mutawatawa. We have embraced technology, we have researched on the market, and we are going to pilot them in Harare because they have been accepted in neighbouring countries.”
In a post-cabinet briefing this Tuesday, the government confirmed the commencement of the implementation process of the smart cities programme.
“On Housing Delivery, the nation is being informed as follows, financiers and other stakeholders are preparing to commence preliminary works on the Smart Cities pilot projects for Melfort, Figtree and Chirundu, 77.5% of households are now accessing clean and safe water and 63.8 hectares was allocated for the settlements densification programme,” announced Acting Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Honourable Jenfan Muswere.
Last month’s statistics from the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities indicated that over 180 000 housing units had been constructed by the government and through public-private partnerships since 2018.
