Uncontrolled settlements: A haven for disease outb...

Uncontrolled settlements: A haven for disease outbreaks

Michael Mashiri

The continued proliferation of unregulated settlements in various areas of Africa, including Zimbabwe, has become a matter of serious concern as it has come with related challenges.

This comes as scores of families in Budiriro 5B, in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, were recently at the receiving end f inclement weather following the destruction of their houses by floods.

The floods were occasioned by the incessant rains that have been pounding the country recently.

In a recent study, approximately 61.7% of urban population in Africa resides in slums.

It is estimated that 1.4 billion people around the world will be living in slums in two years’ time.

The New Urban Agenda, Sustainable Development Goals 11 and Africa Agenda 2063, work which conceives a desired city, seems to be a far reality for Africa.

It seems like human settlement issues are no longer considered top priorities as more unsuitable urban planning principles and patterns are often used across African cities and play a serious role in the upsurge of informal settlements.

Corruption is one of the contributory factors that lead to the increase in informal settlements as land barons, council officials and city planners have combined to grab unserviced lands that they sell to the public.

A month ago, more than 300 illegal structures in an area popularly known as kumaCongo in Retreat, Waterfalls, were demolished as the Emmanuel Makandiwa-led United Family International Church claimed they had been built on its land.

The families alleged they bought the stands from politically- connected land barons.

The name kumaCongo is derived from the fact that the majority of the stands were occupied by Congolese, who reportedly bought the stands from a well-known land baron only identified as Nkomo.

Makandiwa had reportedly given the occupiers time to move their shacks since November last year as the court order to demolish the houses had been obtained on September 19, 2022.

“We only bought these stands for US$15, others for US$20, depending on their size,” said one of the evicted people.

“We bought these stands during elections. There are some people who took advantage and bought a number, though they are suffering because of this,” he said.

Some evictees said they knew that the stands belong to the church but became reluctant to move.

"We knew that the land belongs to Makandiwa and his church and at some point, we were given notice to vacate,” said one of the evictees.

UFIC spokesperson, Prime Kufakunesu, said they never stopped reminding the illegal settlers that it was not their land.

“Land barons were selling the land and we kept telling people it was ours. Maybe they bought out of desperation.

“We obtained a court order, but father Makandiwa gave reprieve to the settlers in December, fearing that their property could be damaged by rains.

“The people were told several times that the land belonged to UFIC but they remained put,” said Kufakunesu.

President Mnangagwa, in his weekly column recently, said the unregulated settlements where contributing to the rise of chronic outbreaks such as cholera.

“Garbage collection services are largely dysfunctional, while broken sewers are a common sight, especially in our high density suburbs. To compound it all, unplanned and uncontrolled settlements have created a runaway urban sprawl where uncontrolled human settlements have outpaced the provision to basic services which guarantee public health and essential amenities,” he said.