Online Reporter
Samuel Kadungure
News Editor
A COMPREHENSIVE revamp of urban planning is underway in Manicaland after the review and submission of new masterplans by 10 local authorities, which empower them to play a pivotal role in low-cost housing delivery, as developers and facilitators.
The Manica Post understands that the new masterplans, which have since been submitted to the Local Government and Public Works Ministry for Cabinet approval, sought to curb illegal land invasions by designating all land for specific uses.
Manicaland Provincial Director (Local Government Services and Administration), Mr John Misi said only City of Mutare had an approved master plan, while three others – Rusape Town Council, Nyanga Rural District Council, and Mutasa RDC – were operating with outdated plans.
The remaining six local authorities – Chipinge Town Council, Chimanimani RDC, Buhera RDC, Mutare RDC, Chipinge RDC and Makoni RDC – had no operative plans in place, resulting in ad-hoc planning, illegal developments, urban decay, and economic stagnation.
Mr Misi said under the new framework, local authorities will provide land for housing development, construct low-cost housing units and facilitate private sector partnerships.
He said the positive development follows President Mnangagwa’s launch of the “A Call to Action: No Compromise to Service Delivery” blueprint in November 2023 – to enhance service delivery, modernise local authority operations, and achieve upper-middle-income economy status by 2030. A key aspect of the blueprint is the creation and implementation of new masterplans to guide development and ensure coordinated growth.
“In Manicaland, only Mutare City Council had an approved masterplan, while Rusape; Nyanga and Mutasa were using outdated ones. The rest had no operative masterplans to manage and guide development, which led to ad-hoc planning and numerous challenges like illegal developments, urban decay and economic stagnation, among others.
“Masterplans zone land uses in an area in a systematic way to avoid haphazard developments. In urban setups, specific areas have been zoned for residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional uses, while conservation areas, recreational parks, open spaces, waterways, and transportation routes have been clearly defined together with the reservation of servitudes for water mains, trunk sewers, and public utilities. Gaps in housing, social amenities, infrastructure, and develop policies have been identified and addressed.
“In rural areas, masterplans tackle social imbalances in housing and social amenities by identifying areas in need and developing policies to ensure balance. They identify gaps in infrastructure development, such as roads, dams, irrigation areas, conservation, tourism, cultural, and heritage sites, and address them. Economically, each district identifies investment opportunities and highlights them to attract investment,” said Mr Misi, adding that councils will now take a prominent role in delivery of low-cost housing.
“Their role is two-way, they are both players and facilitators. As players, they provide land for housing and also provide housing as a product, where they construct houses, especially low-cost housing. As facilitators, they will provide an enabling environment where private players may partner in housing delivery. They do this by providing by-laws that encourage housing development and provision of bulk infrastructure like water, sewer, and roads.
“Land barons used to take advantage of land that was not designated for any use, and these masterplans have designated all land across the province into specific land uses, making it difficult for land barons to invade spaces. The masterplans also provide strict enforcement policies and development control, and have also empowered local communities, who alert local authorities to illegal developments,” said Mr Misi.
He said the process also included an infrastructure masterplan for every local authority, which was a missing link and revealed hidden cost elements in service delivery.
“With this, local authorities may explore various sources of financing development and improve service delivery, for example, through promoting Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and exploring internal sources of revenue,” he said, adding that the plans were crafted through a collaborative approach, involving extensive consultations and participation from stakeholders and communities at various levels, including households, villages, and wards, during the preparation stages.
“To ensure transparency and inclusivity, Mr Misi said, the draft masterplans were publicly exhibited in each local authority for two months, in accordance with the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act (Chapter 29:12). This allowed the public to scrutinise the plans, provide feedback, and contribute to the decision-making process. The plans were also made available on various social media platforms, facilitating easy access for stakeholders and communities.
“The masterplans are designed to operate for a minimum of 15 years, with a maximum timeframe of 20 years. Key milestones vary across local authorities, depending on their unique priorities. For instance, the Chimanimani District masterplan focuses on afforestation, plantation management, and biosphere conservation to mitigate the effects of climate change and address the devastating impact of Cyclone Idai.
“To ensure effective implementation, each local authority has identified diverse funding sources, including PPPs, Government funding, and internal revenue streams. Every local authority has allocated a budget for masterplan projects, categorised into short-term, medium-term, and long-term initiatives. The masterplans align with broader national frameworks, supporting the attainment of Vision 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They also integrate with the thematic pillars of the National Development Strategy (NDS1), including food and nutrition security, infrastructure development, housing delivery, governance, social protection, and environmental protection,” he said.
Mr Misi said the implementation of the plans is not the responsibility of the local authority only as it involves all ministries, departments, agencies and development partners in the service delivery sector.
Government will take the oversight role to ensure their successful implementation.
