Online Reporter
Peter Tanyanyiwa
TENSIONS boiled over at the City of Harare’s Works and Town Planning Committee meeting today, as councillors accused management and consultants of railroading them into approving a voluminous draft master plan without adequate scrutiny.
The 900-page policy document, accompanied by a 300-page written report, is set to guide the capital’s development for the next 20 years, yet councillors say they have been denied the opportunity to meaningfully review or amend the plan before its submission to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
Committee members strongly objected to the consultant’s attempt to condense the entire document into a one-hour summary and urging councillors to adopt it on the spot.
“We are being coerced to rubber-stamp a document that will shape Harare’s future for a generation, without being given the time or information to make informed decisions,” said a councillor, who is a member of the Works and Town Planning Committee.
“This is not consultation; it is imposition.”
Another councillor added, “How can we be expected to approve a 900-page policy and a 300-page report after a one-hour briefing? The people of Harare deserve better. We demand a full-day session for proper presentations and debate before any adoption takes place.”
Despite council claims that the master plan process has involved “extensive stakeholder engagement and public consultation”, councillors insist that the current approach falls short.
“Consultation means more than ticking boxes. It means listening to the people’s views, allowing amendments, and ensuring transparency at every stage,” said another committee member.
“We will not be party to a process that sidelines elected officials and the communities we serve.”
The Harare master plan consultant, Mr Trymore Muderere, could not be reached for a comment.
