Housing firm spreads tentacles to Mutoko

Sunday Mail Reporter

Demand for decent housing for urban and rural dwellers is undoubtedly rising with each day.

But home-seekers are increasingly circumspect owing to multiple scandals involving bogus housing cooperatives.

Not surprisingly, before joining cooperatives they now carry out due diligence, which involves checking the scheme’s track record in delivering decent and affordable houses.

It is a stigma that many cooperatives, including housing and mortgaging firms, want to exorcise.

“It is not easy for people to have faith in you at a time when it is hard to make savings owing to the Covid-19 lockdown, which has seen some of our clients lose their sources of income. As such, we will continue doing our best to ensure we meet our targets,” said Enhanced Mortgaging & House Africa (EMHA) marketing and sales executive Syfrets Mashanda.

The company, which has a footprint in Chitungwiza, Rusape, Guruve, Harare, Mutare, Bulawayo and Gweru, is now angling to provide affordable housing to low-income earners.

“We have decided to open this centre here so that we cater for the people of Mashonaland East on their doorstep, especially here in Mutoko where home-seekers have been making enquiries. We are ready to change people’s lives through providing decent and affordable housing.”

Last week, EMHA spread its tentacles to Mutoko, where it will also serve areas such as Murehwa District in Mashonaland East.

Nyarai Roki, the company’s Mutoko branch sales representative, said the focus was mainly on the less privileged.

“We build houses for the less privileged and our dream is for people to become homeowners in line with our Government’s Vision 2030, where there is need to change people’s lives. . .

“Apart from houses, we are also providing school uniforms and corporate wear. As a company, we have also identified disadvantaged children that we will be assisting with school gear. The assistance is ongoing and not a once-off thing,” she said.

At least 50 vulnerable secondary and primary school students in Mutoko will get free uniforms from the company as part of their corporate social responsibility.

The company, which is involved in other ventures in tourism, steel and hardware, also has operations in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Zanzibar, Zambia, Tanzania and Burundi.