Online Reporter
Blessings Chidakwa-Senior Reporter
THE stench of raw sewage once defined life at Matapi Flats in Mbare.
Broken windows let in the cold, darkness filled the corridors, and families endured conditions that robbed them of their dignity.
When it rained, water seeped into rooms through broken windows and leaking roofs. During winter, icy winds swept through the buildings. Many residents covered window openings with wooden planks and other makeshift materials to keep warm.
Basic sanitation had all, but collapsed. There were no proper bathing facilities, many toilets had become unusable, and years of deteriorating infrastructure had turned everyday life into a struggle.
The flats had been crudely partitioned with wooden planks into cramped cabin-like compartments, forcing families to live in tiny, congested spaces with little privacy or dignity.
For countless families, this was home.
Today, however, Matapi Flats is telling a different story.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa listens as Tino Pande explains the progress of renovation works at Matapi Flats in Mbare.
Freshly rehabilitated sections, restored sewer and water systems, improved ablution facilities, and electricity are breathing new life into one of Harare’s oldest residential complexes.
The transformation drew First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa to the flats yesterday, not as a distant public figure, but as a concerned mother determined to witness the progress for herself.
The rehabilitation is being undertaken under the ED AID 1 initiative spearheaded by Engineer Collins Mnangagwa.
Walking through corridors, rooms and different sections of the flats, the First Lady inspected the work while interacting with contractors and residents.
Mother Zimbabwe paused frequently to ask questions, listened attentively to residents and assessed how the renovations were changing their daily lives.
The visit reflected her long-held belief that every Zimbabwean deserves to live in a clean, safe and dignified environment.
Residents, many of whom had lived through years of deteriorating conditions, expressed gratitude that their cries had finally been heard.
Mbare for a moment came to a standstill as cheerful residents thronged the streets to interact with the First Lady. It was all chants of, “Mhamha, Mhamha.”
What was once associated with overflowing sewage, darkness and decay is steadily becoming a place where families can once again live with hope and dignity.
ED AID1 workers undertake rehabilitation works at Matapi Flats in Mbare, Harare, yesterday as efforts to restore the residential complex continue.
Interacting warmly with community members after touring the Matapi Flats, Dr Mnangagwa said she had come as a mother to appreciate the progress and to interact directly with residents.
When First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa arrived at the flats, she had not informed the young men (ED AID 1, led by chief executive Mr Brian Pande’s team) that she was coming.
She expressed gratitude after finding them actively working to improve the living conditions at the facility, saying the project is transforming lives by improving living conditions and restoring the dignity of residents.
“I came to see the conditions in which you are living here at Matapi Flats in Mbare. I entered these rooms and saw everything for myself. These young men have shown compassion and a commendable desire to help others, especially considering their age.
“They have demonstrated great commitment. Something special has been planted in their hearts that, at their young age, they can stand with us in helping others. You are selflessly dedicating yourselves to this work every day.”
Dr Mnangagwa added: “We are grateful because what I have witnessed here shows that these young people truly care. They know how to think about others. There are some people who hear about such challenges, but choose to ignore them and walk away.”
The First Lady said she would return once the work was complete so that they could sit down together as a family, discuss the progress made, and explore ways of maintaining the rehabilitated facility.
Dr Mnangagwa also encouraged residents, particularly young people, to shun drug and substance abuse, saying healthy families are the foundation of strong communities and national development.
The First Lady then urged community members battling drug and substance abuse to seek assistance at the Angel of Hope Foundation Drug and Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Centre, assuring them that help, healing and a fresh start are within reach.
After touring the rehabilitation works, the First Lady also supported livelihoods in the community.
She bought free-range roadrunner chicken feed from local vendors, demonstrating her continued commitment to empowering ordinary Zimbabweans through supporting small businesses.
Residents described her visit and gesture as a demonstration of genuine motherly care.
One of the renovated Matapi Flats in Mbare.
They said seeing the First Lady walk through their neighbourhood and listen to their concerns gave them renewed hope for an even brighter future.
Also for them, the rehabilitation works represent more than the restoration of an ageing building. They mark the return of dignity, hope and a safer place to call home after decades of enduring deplorable living conditions.
Mrs Mavis Jakachira, who has lived at the flats since 1981, struggled to contain her emotions as she reflected on the transformation.
“When I heard that the First Lady had come, I felt that a caring mother had remembered us. She came to see how her children were living,” she said.
Having spent more than four decades at the flats, Mrs Jakachira said the changes had completely transformed the once-neglected complex.
“I have lived here since 1981. Today, I feel as though I am living in Borrowdale because of the transformation. I am truly happy that we have a mother who cares so deeply about her people,” she said.
For Mr Tachiona Manyengavana of Block One, the rehabilitation demonstrated that the welfare of ordinary citizens mattered.
“I am happy that the First Lady has come and that our blocks are being rehabilitated. These developments show that she genuinely cares about the welfare of the people,” he said.
Mr Manyengavana also expressed gratitude for the First Lady’s continued support of small businesses, saying she had purchased feed for her road runner chickens and visited his market stall.
“When such a leader visits your home, you know you have not been forgotten,” he said.
Some of the rooms before renovations at Matapi Flats.
Another resident, Mr Casper Chimhuka, said generations had grown up under difficult conditions, making the rehabilitation a dream come true.
“This place had long been written off because of its poor condition, but today we are witnessing its transformation. We have lived with these problems since we were young,” he said.
Mr Chimhuka said improved sanitation would help eliminate diseases that had become synonymous with Mbare.
“Mbare was once associated with outbreaks of typhoid and cholera, but with these improvements we hope those challenges will become a thing of the past. We are grateful to the Government for rehabilitating our flats,” he said.
Mrs Babra Mundere said residents had endured years without proper bathing facilities, forcing them to use buckets because the showers no longer worked.
“The toilets were in a poor state and the overflowing sewage posed a serious health risk. We constantly worried about the safety of our children,” she said.
For Ms Bliss Tsata, who was born and raised at Matapi Flats, the rehabilitation has brought renewed hope.
“The toilets were unusable, the passages were overcrowded and the lack of windows made it easy for thieves to break in. These were not decent conditions to raise a family,” she said.
She said the elimination of overflowing sewage and the restoration of running water had transformed daily life.
“We are truly happy with the transformation. We can now look forward to living in a cleaner, safer and more dignified environment,” she said.
Contractors working on the project said the rehabilitation extends beyond repairing buildings.
They said the work is restoring dignity, improving public health and creating a safer environment where families can live with pride.
ED AID project manager Mr Prince Munyaradzi Munangwa said the rehabilitation of Matapi Flats was driven by a commitment to improve the living conditions of residents in line with President Mnangagwa’s vision of leaving no one and no place behind.
Mr Munangwa said the ED AID team, under the leadership of Engineer Mnangagwa, was deployed to transform the lives of residents who had endured years of poor sanitation and deteriorating infrastructure.
“When we arrived, the situation was dire. Raw sewage flowed through the premises and children played in contaminated areas. Families had no proper bathing facilities, and women and young girls, in particular, were living in undignified conditions,” he said.
Mr Munangwa said the project focused on restoring dignity and creating a safe, healthy environment for residents.
One of the old flats at Matapi Flats in Mbare, before rehabilitation works.
“We have installed lighting throughout the building, replaced the old sanitation system and completely overhauled the plumbing network. Our goal is to ensure residents have access to clean water, proper sanitation and a decent place to live,” he said.
He said the rehabilitation works reflected the team’s commitment to transforming lives through improved infrastructure and restoring hope to the people of Matapi Flats.
Assistant project manager Mr Tino Pande said the rehabilitation project was primarily aimed at addressing the long-standing sewer and water reticulation challenges that had made life unbearable for residents.
He said when the team first arrived at the flats, raw sewage was overflowing while residents had no running water, creating serious health and sanitation risks.
Mr Pande said the project had since resolved the most urgent problems through the installation of a new toilet system, replacement of water reticulation pipes, improved sanitation facilities and new sinks.
He said the rehabilitation works also introduced a more organised living arrangement, with separate floors and ablution facilities for men, women and girls to enhance privacy and safety.
“We also rehabilitated the sewer system at the back of the building by clearing blocked drains and installing a completely new sewer network,” he said.
Mr Pande said water storage tanks would be installed to ensure residents had a reliable and sustainable supply of running water.
He added that electrical and carpentry works were progressing well, while damaged floors had been repaired by sealing cracks and restoring worn-out sections to improve safety.
Mr Pande expressed confidence that the project would be completed by Friday, after which final inspections would be carried out before the building was officially handed back to the people of Mbare.
He urged residents to safeguard the refurbished flats, saying the project was undertaken to improve their health, safety and dignity.
The renewal of Matapi Flats complements broader transformation efforts in Mbare, where the Angel of Hope Foundation’s drug rehabilitation centre continues to reclaim lives from drug and substance abuse.
Together, the initiatives reflect a vision of rebuilding not only infrastructure, but also families, communities and hope.
