Online Reporter
Blessings Chidakwa, Senior Reporter
HARARE was once celebrated as the Sunshine City, a capital whose clean streets, well-maintained buildings and orderly public spaces reflected the pride of a growing nation.
Today, that image is under strain.
Peeling paint, ageing and neglected buildings, and mounting concerns over cleanliness have become increasingly difficult to ignore, raising questions about what must be done to restore the capital’s former character.
It is against this backdrop that First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa has brought the private sector, business community and Harare City Council officials to the table, imploring them to become part of the solution.
Rather than simply highlighting the problems, Dr Mnangagwa convened key stakeholders to deliberate on practical measures that can help restore Harare’s cleanliness, appearance and dignity.
The stakeholder engagement, held at Zimbabwe House, brought together representatives from the financial, health, retail, manufacturing, parlours, construction, food, informal traders, commerce and other sectors of the economy.
The Sunshine City may have lost some of its shine, but the stakeholder engagement opened a new conversation on how Harare can reclaim its pride, one building, one street and one community at a time.
As the Environment Patron, Dr Mnangagwa used the engagement to raise concerns over the deteriorating state of some of the city’s buildings and the need for businesses and other stakeholders to play a greater role in restoring the capital.
One of the prominent proposals was the renovation, repainting and refurbishment of buildings whose neglected appearance has contributed to the changing face of the city.
For Dr Mnangagwa, however, restoring Harare cannot be reduced to a fresh coat of paint.
It also requires a change in behaviour.
Dr Mnangagwa said the engagement was aimed at finding practical, collective ways of restoring Harare’s former glory by renovating and repainting buildings, improving business premises, beautifying streets and enhancing the city’s cleanliness.
“Harare has long held the proud title of the Sunshine City. It has been a legacy of order, scenic beauty, and economic dynamism. However, as we walk and drive through our Central Business District, we must confront a reality that pains us all.
“I have noted with great concern the continuous dilapidation of our buildings. Fading paint, crumbling facades, and neglected infrastructure are slowly eroding the majestic skyline and scenic charm of our capital,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa added: “A nation’s capital is its mirror. It reflects our pride, our identity, and our standard of excellence to investors, tourists, and, most importantly, to our own children. When our Central Business District shows signs of decay, it impacts civic pride and sends a message that does not align with the progressive, high-growth trajectory of Zimbabwe.”
The First Lady said the Government policies and municipal efforts lay the framework, but urban transformation requires the active co-ownership of the private sector.
“Restoring Harare’s aesthetic appeal is not merely an act of charity or civic duty; it is a sound economic strategy. A revitalised, clean, and beautiful CBD increases property values, attracts international capital, boosts foot traffic, and creates a safer, more dignified environment for your customers and employees.
“Imagine a Harare where every building tells a story of prestige, where tree-lined avenues are pristine, and where modern, eco-friendly infrastructure reflects the sophistication of Zimbabwe’s business community. This vision is entirely within our reach, but it requires a unified front,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa hailed the business community as a key driver of the national economy, commending its positive response to the engagement and its commitment to the country and the capital.
She said the gathering provided an opportunity for Government and the private sector to come together as partners, share ideas and pursue a common vision for a better Harare.
“Let us build a public-private partnership model that sets a precedent for the entire nation. Let us remember that the state of our capital is our collective signature. Together, let us sign our names to a legacy of beauty, order, and enduring success.”
When she opened the floor for discussion, stakeholders spoke candidly about disregard for municipal regulations, saying a clean city begins with citizens taking responsibility for their surroundings.
The discussion shifted the focus from identifying problems to finding solutions, with participants proposing measures that could bring businesses, residents, the local authority and other institutions together in a coordinated effort.
Some stakeholders called for stiffer penalties for by-law violations and closer cooperation between Harare City Council and the security sector to strengthen enforcement and restore order.
They also proposed a coordinated, street-by-street approach involving Government, council, businesses, property owners, informal traders, residents and environmental authorities, with designated trading areas and clear responsibilities for keeping the city clean.
Participants called for improved public facilities, including 24-hour public toilets, better drainage and waste separation at source, while encouraging businesses and households to take greater responsibility for their surroundings.
They further advocated sustained awareness campaigns targeting schools, informal traders and the wider public, as well as incentives for recycling and a responsive council complaints system to ensure that concerns are addressed promptly.
The message from the gathering was clear: reclaiming Harare will require more than Government intervention. It will require the city’s business community, residents and institutions to take ownership of the capital.
Harare City Council Acting Town Clerk Advocate Warren Chiwawa said while the necessary by-laws were already in place, stricter enforcement was needed to ensure compliance and restore order in the city.
Advocate Chiwawa said the council would issue abatement orders requiring owners of buildings that have not been maintained or painted to improve their properties.
He said those who fail to comply would have the costs incurred by council billed to them.
Adv Chiwawa said council was currently renovating and repainting its head office, Town House and several district offices as part of efforts to improve the city’s overall appearance.
“Abatement orders are what we use to require owners to paint their buildings. Those whose buildings have not been painted will be required to do so, and we will bill them for the work. From Monday, we will start issuing these abatement orders,” he said.
“We have by-laws governing all these areas, including vendors and hawkers. All the necessary by-laws are in place. Government has given us arresting powers, and the Act is being finalised. Once that is in place, we will increase enforcement.”
Adv Chiwawa said council would continue doing what was within its mandate and capacity, while engaging private players to complement its efforts in areas where it faced challenges.
“In terms of our mandate, we will continue to do what we can within our capacity. Where we face challenges, we are bringing in private players, such as water service providers like Helcraw and waste management companies such as Geo Pomona,” he said.
He said council was also implementing initiatives to provide safer and more organised trading spaces for informal traders.
Adv Chiwawa said council had designated trading space at Mbare Musika, but some informal traders preferred operating outside the designated areas.
Among the initiatives is the development of new trading space at Chemhanza in Glen View 3, which is expected to accommodate about 4 000 traders, including those who previously operated from areas affected by fires.
Adv Chiwawa said the local authority was also leading by example by improving the appearance of its own properties.
Adv Chiwawa thanked Dr Mnangagwa for bringing stakeholders together, saying the engagement had created an important platform for involving those directly affected by the challenges facing Harare in finding practical solutions.
Permanent Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Harare Metropolitan Province Dr Shingirayi Mushamba said the meeting had provided an important platform for dialogue on improving the appearance, cleanliness and ambience of the capital.
Dr Mushamba said the engagement had centred on the need to repaint and improve buildings in the CBD while also addressing broader environmental and cleanliness concerns.
He said a cleaner and more attractive CBD would benefit residents, businesses and visitors while also enhancing Harare’s image as Zimbabwe’s capital.
“It has generally been observed that the cleaner we have in our built environment, the more capital we are likely to attract,” he said.
Dr Mushamba added that the appearance of the city also influenced how Zimbabwe was perceived by trading partners and the diplomatic community.
“The more respect we gain from our trading partners, our diplomatic partners and so on and so forth,” he said.
Dr Mushamba said the initiative would require continued engagement between the provincial administration and stakeholders such as the
Environmental Management Agency and the security sector.
“We have been called upon to work with all stakeholders, the Environmental Management Agency, work with the security apparatus, so that we can really bring new life that is consistent with Vision 2030 into the CBD,” he said.
Dr Mushamba said there was an opportunity for property owners, vendor associations and relevant authorities to work together in identifying appropriate spaces where informal traders could operate without compromising the cleanliness and appearance of the CBD.
“We have also agreed that we will get all stakeholders involved. We may have property owners who will get the vendor associations to engage and work with them about how we can keep our Central Business District very clean, a place to be,” he said.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume welcomed the First Lady’s engagement with stakeholders over the state of the capital, describing her intervention as the corrective guidance of a mother concerned about the wellbeing of her “home”.
“We appreciate the guidance. We also appreciate the role of chastisement when we are doing wrong. That is the role of a mother. That is what mothers are there for,” he said.
“Because when fathers are then asked to deal with a situation, the measures might be drastic and permanent. But a mother’s touch is always corrective and sustainable, and is not intended to harm the recipient or the system,” he said.
Mayor Mafume said the city authorities appreciated the initiative and hoped to play their part in fulfilling the aspirations raised during the engagement.
He said Zimbabweans should take pride in their country and work towards making it a place they would always be happy to call home.
The engagement reflects Dr Mnangagwa’s wider environmental advocacy, which has seen her traverse the country raising awareness on environmental protection and encouraging communities to take collective responsibility for their surroundings.
For Harare, the conversation has now moved beyond lamenting what has been lost.
It is about deciding what kind of city Zimbabwe wants its capital to become and mobilising those with the resources, influence and responsibility to help build it.
