To have Harare as a world class city by 2025 is the city council’s vision to achieve. Recently, the council’s twitter handle sent out a tweet of a press statement by the Acting Mayor, Councillor Musarurwa Mutizwa urging building owners to repaint and renovate their buildings and maintain the frontage of their properties with immediate effect.
“Council is calling on property owners and business operators in Harare in the city to repaint, renovate their buildings and maintain the frontage of their properties with immediate effect as part of efforts to reclaim the Sunshine status” read part of the tweet.
Achieving a world class status, according to the council, is a vision that can only be achieved by full participation of residents, businesses and other stakeholders. This bold vision, if accomplished will improve the state of the city which has been less than desirable, with standards deteriorating and the dilapidation of infrastructure.
The hashtag being used by the council as its rallying point for everyone to participate is #TheWorldClassCityBeginsWithYou. This is part of the council’s re-engagement with stakeholders to encourage them to be part of this movement.
With regards to those who fail to do this, the council said it would hire contractors on behalf of building owners with the owners footing the bill.
“There are however provisions in the city bylaws that allow the city to hire contractors on behalf of building owners in the event the owners fail to spruce up their building. The cost of would be borne by the owners. This route is however not in the best interest of our engagement thrust and confidence building”
Council is on this drive to boost the city’s tourism to help improve not only its economy but in turn the nation’s as tourism is one of Zimbabwe’s key economic sectors.
“A beautiful and well-manicured Harare will certainly be the destination of choice for both tourism and investment”
Abatement orders, which are instructions to beautify one’s building, are in the process of being compiled by the city fathers, starting with the CBD. This plan will be decentralised to suburbs to complement the efforts of the city.
