CAN HARARE HOLD ONTO ITS RECLAIMED SHINE?

Tendai Chara

Tapera Gumbanjera, a renowned sculptor from Chitungwiza, still savours the windfall he got recently.

He got rich pickings after an opportune encounter with foreign dignitaries who were in town for the SADC summit.

The unexpected windfall ignited a new-found hope.

“I wish the summit would be held in Harare at least once every year,” Gumbanjera told The Sunday Mail Society.

The resounding success of the SADC summit, culminating in President Mnangagwa’s ascension to the chair, ushered in an unexpected era of positive transformation in the city and beyond.

Aesthetics

Beyond the accelerated pace of economic and infrastructural development, the gathering left an indelible mark on the capital.

The city revealed some of its lost glory, as the once-sombre Harare Central Business District (CBD) was adorned with vibrant rockeries, teeming with resilient plants and colourful blooms.

Leopold Takawira Street, a previously overlooked way, was reborn as a miniature paradise, lined with majestic palm trees and inviting benches for weary travellers to rest on.

To crown this urban renaissance, an interactive digital billboard was erected in the now-revitalised Africa Unity Square, a testament to the summit’s enduring legacy.

Mt Hampden, the site of the new capital city, has undergone significant improvements, including the construction of new villas and roads, with old ones having been rehabilitated.

One notable achievement is the new road linking the new Parliament building to Harare, making it easy for one to get to the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.

“May there be light”

Lights were installed on most streets in the Central Business District (CBD).

A few days ago, Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume left residents in stitches after claiming the city’s new streetlights would benefit customers in the Avenues area.

This comment was made during the commissioning of the Harare streetlights project by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works and the City of Harare in areas such as Third Street, Fifth Street, Jason Moyo Avenue and Kwame Nkrumah Avenue.

The project, which has been marred by allegations of corruption, is nearing completion.

“I am delighted that we have brought light to the Avenues. There are a lot of things to see in the Avenues. So, sometimes, it is useful to be able to see clearly as people move and navigate the area.

“It is also the area where our major hotels are located. So, it is very important for people, as they visit the hotels and move around the streets, to avoid muggings and misidentification, to be able to see what is happening at all times,” he said.

The project has resulted in the illumination of the city centre, as lights adorn most thoroughfares, casting a warm glow upon the urban landscape.

It has banished the shadows that concealed muggers and pickpockets, driving these criminal elements out of their nests and contributing to a reduction in crime.

It is clear that the Government’s dedicated efforts have played a pivotal role in restoring a semblance of the former glory to the once-brilliant sunshine city.

“We are happy with the cooperation of the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, and Government in general. We are pleased with the roads; we have done a lot of work on streetlights and beautification of the city.

“We do not want this momentum to die; we want it to continue beyond SADC and move to other parts of the city,” added the mayor

Traffic lights

A strategic initiative to mitigate the spectre of road accidents and snarl-ups within the bustling city involved the placement of traffic lights at key intersections.

This endeavour involved the installation of new traffic lights and repair of malfunctioning ones.

The summit ushered in an era of order and cleanliness, as environmental monitors were deployed to safeguard the city’s pristine appearance. In stark contrast to the past, when littering was a pervasive problem, such behaviour was met with unwavering disapproval.

Rubbish bins were strategically positioned throughout the city and environmental monitors swiftly intervened to address any transgressions. A palpable sense of cleanliness prevailed, benefiting the hospitality industry, as seamless transportation of clients became a reality.

Retrogressing

However, a troubling resurgence of old habits has cast a shadow over the city.

The menace of illegal vendors has returned with a vengeance, as hawkers of roasted maize cobs and meat reclaim their urban territories.

The once-pristine streets are once again besieged by these unsightly stalls, marring the city’s aesthetic appeal.

The Harare Residents Trust (HRT) has raised concerns about the neglect of the newly planted trees, which were a focal point of the summit’s beautification efforts. These verdant additions to the urban landscape are now succumbing to the ravages of neglect, as some have withered and died.

During the summit, pirate taxi (commonly known as mushikashika) operators were temporarily moved from their traditional haunts, restoring a semblance of order on the roads.

The once-infested intersection of Jason Moyo and Simon Muzenda roads was strangely devoid of these unlicensed taxis.

However, a disheartening reversal has occurred, as the pirate taxis have reclaimed their former territories, casting a pall over the city’s progress.

In light of these recent developments, calls have intensified for the City of Harare to maintain the momentum and eradicate the undesirable elements from the city, particularly in the CBD.

Mildred Chiunga, a business owner in the city centre, lamented the lack of a strong enforcement will within the city authorities.

“The lessons that can be drawn from the summit are that it is possible for the council to bring back sanity to the city. In my view, the city authorities lack a strong will to enforce laws,” she argued.

HRT director Precious Shumba echoed these sentiments, criticising the council’s failure to sustain the gains achieved during the summit, particularly in terms of vendor control, beautification and overall orderliness.

Shumba further emphasised the council’s lack of determination to transform the capital into a world-class city by 2025.

He further said, while the elimination of vendors seemed beneficial prior to the event, the actual situation reveals a deficiency in the council’s willingness to fully support the activities of informal traders, including vendors.

“The regional summit brought to the City of Harare a lot of foreign visitors, who we believe benefited Harare businesses. Traffic lights were repaired and were indeed functional during the course of the summit but now most traffic lights are dysfunctional, showing that the City of Harare has the capacity to do the right things but they are unwilling to provide sustainable, efficient and effective social services to the residents,” said Shumba.

Harare City Council spokesperson Stanley Gama reassured the public that the local authority is steadfast in its commitment to preserving the positive transformation achieved during the summit.

“We are making sure that we keep the momentum. As for the beautification, some of the companies that rehabilitated the roads are responsible for maintaining the trees,” said Gama.

He said the council is making sure that the streets and traffic lights remain functional. The council, he added, is actively engaged in rehabilitating roads in the vibrant neighbourhoods of Kambuzuma and Warren Park.