Outrage over plans for soccer pitch

Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent
An MDC-Alliance councillor in Harare’s Ward 14 has provoked outrage from residents after she allowed the conversion of a local soccer field into residential flats, in a suspected case of corruption.

Councillor Kudzai Kadzombe is accused of allowing the land situated between Elizabeth Windsor and Princess Margaret roads in Marlborough, which was being used a soccer field by residents, to be taken over for other purposes.

In 2015, Marlborough Environmental Action Group (MEAG) together with residents, filed a petition challenging the change of the Marlborough Local Plan LDP 51 in which the civic centre soccer field and park had been designated for flats.

The residents are demanding that the development stops forthwith.

Speaking on behalf of the Marlborough residents, Marlvern Chibika, said the area was already struggling with sewer bursts.

“We as residents are saying we cannot keep on having flats on recreational facilities which are meant for children to play around,” he said.

“We also have an ongoing problem of burst sewer pipes. Since these two blocks of flats were built here at Civic Centre we have been experiencing a lot of burst sewer pipes the reason being that the sewer system may be congested.

“The sewer system has always been a major problem in Marlborough and they want to keep on creating more problems instead of solving the existing ones. We as residents do not know where exactly we can get the power to stop this development because we are being told that the land has been bought by someone and is now a private property.”

Mr Chibika said council should speak to the new owner and offer him land elsewhere.

“I spoke to our local councillor Kadzombe and she told me that the soccer field and the recreational area were bought,” he said. “She did not disclose who bought the land, but said the new owner wanted to build blocks of flats.

“I then asked her why the goal posts in the soccer field were removed and she said that they were stolen.”

Contacted for comment, Cllr Kadzombe confirmed the development, saying the land was set aside for residential purposes according to the Marlborough Local Development Plan of 1994 which is currently in use in Ward 41.

“There is a provision in the urban councils act that states that a certain percentage of residential land be set aside for high rise flats,” she said.

“According to the plan, the recreation park was always there, but where there is a soccer field was a residential area since 1994. We have identified three soccer fields in the park, one in Admiral Tait Road, the other one in Westgate and another one in Bluffhill.

“I am pro-development as a councillor and I will meet with the residents to map a way forward.”