Department of Architecture

and Real Estate

UNIVERSITY OF
ZIMBABWE

COURSE TITLE: DESIGN STUDIO (MACRO-LEVEL STATUTORY LEVEL)

COURSE CODE: RUP 430

PROGRAM: HRUPSS

LECTURER: MR MATAI

DUE DATE: 22 SEPTEMBER 2022

TITLE: Proposed Mbare Local Development Plan that focuses towards an effective
urban regeneration strategy.
GROUP MEMBERS

 Aligero Mangombe -R194545N

 Molly Kembo -R186829S
 David Musariri -R186798C
 Trevor Chinakidzwa
 Rufaro M. Chauke -R181346X
 Tawanda R. Manhanga -R182656C
 Siphathisiswe Moyo -R194558V
 Nobuhle E. Mhlanga -R186799K
 Brighton P. Chiwara -R194529J
 Portia Benhura -R1810460
CHAPTER ONE

1.1 INTRODUCTION

In Zimbabwe, Local Development Plans are prepared in terms of Part 4 of the Regional,
Town and Country Planning Act Chapter 29:12 Revised Edition 1996 as read in conjunction
with the Master and Local Plans Regulation (RGN) 248 of 1977. A strategic plan which is
used as a development guide and sets out the long term future for the town for a specific area
translate into a Local Development Plan. The most important aspect of these LDPs lies in the
aspect of unlocking new development at the same time balancing the existing development so
as to preserve and conserve for future use. In this era of the 21 st Century, it is witnessed that
strategies put in place towards achieving competitive settlements or cities, agendas aimed at
addressing cities and settlements towards inclusivity and sustainability have been developed
and some are still developing. This has influenced other nations to undergo reviewing of
LDPs in the quest to revitalise different areas to suite the new sustainable goals and creating
competitive settlements.

Cities in the developing world are experiencing urban decay in some parts or neighbourhoods
as the majority of the world’s population now live in cities and is expected to grow as well.
Over the years, there has been urban decline or degeneration in Harare particularly in the
inner city of Mbare and is marked by poverty, physical decay, informality, crime and
disorder and poor solid waste management, Potter (1992). Just like other inner cities, Mbare
is in need of a new LDP that focuses on urban regeneration. In this essence, the review and
preparation of the local development plan of Mbare is being done in pursuit of solving
existing problems without causing more damage. There is need for urban regeneration to
improve housing, roads, sewer and water systems which have become overwhelmed as their
capacities were designed to cater for limited number of users. The development will focus on
the above mentioned informalities as a move to upgrade and modernise the city to
international standards and eradicate visible signs of urban decay and avoid stigmatisation,
health problems, loss of land value, poor sanitation and service provision and shortage of
housing for the people. The research is aiming on preparing an urban regeneration strategy
for Mbare that will be achieved through preparation of a new Local Development Plan which
will be in line with the Harare city council’s vision of achieving a world class city status by
2025. With consent from the owners of the buildings and stakeholders, there is need to
demolish old dilapidated buildings and replace them with modern structures. There is need to
accommodate different land uses and ensuring that development is in line with the set goals
of sustainable development.

1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Initially, Mbare was largely populated by migrant workers while the local workforce revered
their rural homes and only came to the city on a seasonal basis. During the 1940's, there was
a big shortage of workers and the council built Matapi flats and Mbare hostels to
accommodate local male workers. They would work for a few days and then return to their
families in the rural areas. Today those flats are now occupied by married couples a setup far
detached from their intended purpose, hence one of the causes of the decrepit infrastructure.
Sewerage bursts are now the order of the day and roads are dilapidated to the extent that
some are potholed and others have returned into the original gravel state.

Situated about 3 kilometres from the city centre, Mbare is the nearest high-density suburb to
the city centre and is largely characterised by dilapidated flats with high levels of graffiti,
broken windows and scrapped paint. This decrepit infrastructure is a huge setback and could
hinder the achievement of goals of the Harare City Council which include the main objective
of attaining a world class city status by 2025 and also to work in line with Sustainable
Development Goal 9 which advocates for functioning and resilient infrastructure to be the
foundation of every successful community. Such great plans thus prompt the need for a local
development plan to pave a clear roadmap that stipulates exactly how development is to be
executed in the area.

In Zimbabwe the local development plan is prepared in terms of section 17 of the Regional,
Town and Country Planning Act (Chapter 29:12) of 1996. The purpose of local development
plan is to introduce suitable development control measures in the planning area that are
responsive to the needs of the people. The development plan harmonises development by
separating conflicting land uses and enhancing redevelopment of neglected areas in an effort
to improve the quality of life of the people and provide accommodation close to the city
centre and industrial area.

1.3 LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK

A number of policy frameworks and acts exist in Zimbabwe and they correlate and are a
guide to the project in question. There are a few that guide in the regeneration of an area in
this context Mbare, as follows:

The Regional Town and Country Act (Chapter 29:12) PART IV guides in the proposed Local
Development Plan for Mbare. Section 17 of the Act subsection 3-part (a) states that a local
plan shall, in relation to the planning area formulate proposals for the coordinated and
harmonious development, redevelopment or improvement and other use of land in that area.
This means that in the desire to prepare a new local development plan to regenerate the area
of Mbare, the RTCP Act is the main guide and governs development process.

Zimbabwe National Human Settlement Policy and the National Development Strategy 1,
aims for transformative and inclusive growth to bring benefits to all in Zimbabwe in a fair,
transparent and just manner all in light of delivering affordable and quality settlements in
urban areas. Mbare is an area with mixed activities or uses such as housing, recreational and
commercial. There is need to balance these uses in the LDP hence the two frameworks. The
issue of accommodation needs to be addressed as the housing is now old and dilapidated and
cannot withstand the increase in population in Mbare.

Companies and other Businesses Acts, Small Enterprises Development Corporation Act
(Chapter 24:12) is also crucial in the formulation of the LDP because Mbare houses the
informal sector and these are classified under small to medium enterprises. Mostly, these are
backyard businesses hence the need to incorporate and formalize them in the proposed LDP.

The Environmental Management Act is also essential before formulation of the Local
Development Plan. The plan of Mbare encompasses a stream and wetlands on the banks and
these need protection and to be taken into consideration. There is need to curtail activities on
that area so as to protect the ecosystem as well as prevent water pollution given the economic
activities around the Mbare area.

Moving on, the Public Health Act (Chapter 15:17) will be of vital importance in order to
eradicate the health hazards in Mbare mainly in the Mbare Musika and flats. This will help
prevent disease outbreaks and ensure quality and health environment for the planning area.

The Sustainable Development Goals is a policy framework that guide in the development of
the Local Development Plan. Goal number 11 aims for sustainable cities and communities.
This mean then that the local development plan is produced under the desire to archive
sustainability hence the SDG being a guiding framework for the LDP. To add on, the
planning area is in Harare hence the Harare Strategic Plan 2012-2025 which seeks to achieve
world class city by 2025 comes in handy. This is because it shows how the city and in
particular the Mbare area should evolve and develop till 2025.

1.4 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY

In order to achieve Harare City Council’s vision of a World Class City by 2025, it is a
necessity to review Mbare’s LDP so as to incorporate new designs and to upgrade the
existing infrastructure. A world class city has no visible signs of poverty and Mbare on the
other hand is associated with low living standards and dilapidated buildings. These
challenges are a town planning concern hence there is need to review the existing plan to
solve the prevailing challenges so as to contribute to making a city with no visible signs of
despair.

To justify further, successful adoption of this Local Development Plan would improve the
quality of life for the community. As the document will set out the proposal for the future
development, it can help to provide a good living environment to the community by
enhancing the public facilities and amenities. This then will serve to inform the general
public, statutory authorities, developers, cooperate sector and the central government on the
policy framework and land use proposals that will guide development decisions within Mbare
area.

Mbare Township has shifted from a residential suburb in to a commercial hub, due to
informal vending, informal SMEs and informal light industries taking place. Destroying the
informal activities taking place in Mbare means taking away people’s livelihood, hence
increase of poverty, hence there is need to review the LDP in order to accommodate the
SMEs and make it a place where anyone is comfortable to visit and conduct business. This
study will be centred on dialogue between local authorities and affected community residents
to improve development in Mbare. Thus, the LDP will address this issue through planning for
existing sites they have occupied, regularise them, by providing toilets and necessary
amenities thus fulfil SDGs aimed at providing basic amenities. This will also result in an
improved sanitation system aimed to protect human health by providing a clean environment
that will stop the transmission of diseases, especially through the faecal-oral route, for
example, diarrhoea.
Local Development Plan functions as a tool to show the direction in which the city will grow
and will determine and control development through land use Zoning with new developments
permitted either through special consideration from the local authorities and some freely
permitted. Henceforth, this then justifies this research as the findings from this study will
provide the basis for intervention from various other stakeholders and bring more sustainable
solutions to the challenge of urban development in Zimbabwe and encourage an effective
urban regeneration strategy for Mbare.

1.5 AIM
The aim is to prepare Mbare Local Development Plan that focuses towards an effective urban
regeneration strategy.

1.6 OBJECTIVES

 To examine the physical outlook state of the buildings in the demarcated area.
 To examine the formal and non-formal land uses and their distribution in the area.
 To assess the living conditions and socio- economic activities of the inhabitants.
 To find out the coping mechanism for current land uses and their distribution in the
area.
 To proffer recommendation on vibrant remedial measures or framework on
development control measures and environmental guidelines.

1.7 CONCLUSION

This chapter has given the introduction to the study and the aim of this paper which is to
come up with a local development plan for Mbare that is is centred on regeneration. It has
provided the background of the research, legal framework and the objectives have been
outlined. The chapter has justified the study.
CHAPTER TWO

2.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter discusses the methodology to be used in the research. Research methodology is
a systematic way to resolve problem or procedure by which researchers go about describing,
explaining and predicting phenomena (Kothari, 1985). This chapter explains the methodology
used to explain the best strategy for data to be collected that will be the basis of coming up
with Mbare local development plan which focuses on urban regeneration strategy. Research
methodology covers research approach, target population, sample size, sampling techniques,
and data collection instruments and data analysis.

2.2 AIM

The aim is to provide the methodology to be adopted in carryout research in preparation of

the new Mbare Local Development Plan addressing urban generation.

2.3 OBJECTIVES

To examine the physical outlook state of the buildings in the demarcated area.

To examine the formal and non-formal land uses and their distribution in the area.

To assess the living conditions and socio- economic activities of the inhabitants.

To proffer recommendation on vibrant remedial measures or framework on

development control measures and environmental guidelines.

2.4 RESEARCH APPROACH

The development of new local development plan requires a holistic approach to looking for
data. As such, the study is inclined towards the pragmatist research philosophy. Pragmatism
is a deconstructive paradigm that advocates the use of mixed methods in research, “sidesteps
the contentious issues of truth and reality” (Feilzer 2010, p. 8), and “focuses instead on 'what
works' as the truth regarding the research questions under investigation” (Tashakkori &
Teddlie 2003b, p. 713). The research philosophy advocates for mixed methods research
method. The research adopts a quantitative or qualitative approach to collecting data.
2.4.1 Qualitative

Qualitative research is concerned with facilitating the study of issues in depth and in detail.
The qualitative approach to collecting data is to be through in-depth interviews, personal
observations and written documents. As part of qualitative research, observations are going to
be used to collect data about the proposal of a local development plan (LDP) for the
revitalization and regeneration of the Mbare area. The researchers adopt the observation
method to collect data as the study requires accuracy in data collection and can only be
achieved through moving around the designated area observing the infrastructure, land uses
so as to build a clear understanding of the general outlook of the area.

2.4.2 Quantitative

Quantitative approach is also to be used. Quantitative research is based on the measurement

of quantity or amount (Patton, 2002). This study is characterised with figures and quantities
of people, vehicles utilising the land uses thus ensuring that the research find some exact
figures on the number of issues being studied in all cases where it is specific is why the
quantitative approach build its basis from. As part of the quantitative research, Questionnaires
will be designed and distributed to the target population. A questionnaire will be the main
tool for collecting data since they will give room for explanations from respondents and by
this more information about those old dilapidated buildings flows in hence broader
information to base on when producing the LDP.

2.5 TARGET POPULATION

According to Kirby (1997), population means the people who live in a place. A target
population refers to a group of individuals that have one or more characteristics in common
that are of interest to the researcher. Also, Barnsbee and Ngheim (2018) define the target
population as the group of individuals that the study intends to conduct research in and draw
conclusions from. This will be an important factor in deriving sampling methodology,
feasibility and sample size. The study will collect data from a number of stakeholders that are
either directly or indirectly affected by the development. For the purpose of this study, the
target population is as follows:

2.5.1 Residents of Mbare

Residents are one of the main targets for this research, their contribution is vital as they
provide the researchers with data regarding to their standards of living. They are the
providers of information pertaining to service delivery in the area, state of infrastructure they
are using, water quality and sanitation. Residents are crucial in measuring the quality of
services offered in the area, their current employment status and their source of income as
well as how they are managing to survive in the area.

2.5.2 Vendors

Vendors are important to this study in that they provide information on the conditions of their
current working sites. They provide information on how they dispose waste in their various
working zones, apart from that they are to give information on the payment of taxes to the
local authority.

2.5.3 Business operators

These include operators in the industrial areas and various shop owners. They will provide
information on how they are using their commercial zones, how competitive their zones are,
job creation or employment opportunities. This will be helpful to measure level of economic
activity in the area which in turn determines the type of livelihoods and thus also overall
standard of living in the area.

2.5.4 Local authorities

These are the managers of the area in terms of the land uses, infrastructure therefore they are
to provide information on how they are managing the area in terms of service provision to
Mbare residents, provision of adequate zones for commercial, industrial, access roads to
various zones which foster inclusivity as specified by the New Urban Agenda.

2.5.5 Government parastatals

These include Ministry of transport and also the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).
They will assist in providing information on various aspects such as maintenance of roads
and overall transport planning for the area. EMA will also assist in providing information
regarding conservation strategies and their implementation with regards to the environmental
condition of Mbare.

2.5.6 Road users

These include motorists, pedestrians and cyclists, they will participate in this research as they
are the direct beneficiaries of resultant surfaced and well-maintained roads and are the ones
currently affected by the potholed roads which increases vulnerability to accidents. The
pedestrians, cyclists and carter movers provide information on the challenges they face in
accessing various destinations within the area.

2.6 RESEARCH DESIGN MATRIX

Table 1
Objectives Data to be Source of Data Data analysis Pre-findings
collected data collection (method)
method
To examine State of Study area, Observation The total
the current buildings ( Local Interviews amount of
conditions of Types of Residents Focus groups people living in
the existing buildings the area.
buildings Use

To assess the -Forms of Residents, Observation -How often is

environmenta pollution EMA, Interviews waste
l issues in the (land, water, City of Focus groups collected?
planning area air, noise) Harare and -How often do
-Water and ZINWA they get water
sanitation services?
-solid Waste
management

To examine Penetrability, Residents, Observation How accessible

transport and Safety City of Interviews is the area?
traffic issues Status of Harare Focus groups Total amount
in the roads, of vehicles
planning area Amount of passing through
traffic flow, a given point.
State and
type of
 vehicles
To examine Services and City of Observation What function
the facilities Harare, Interviews does the study
relationship being offered Residents Focus groups area serve to
of the General plans other areas
planning area
and the
abutting
properties

To assess the Source of Residents Observation Average

current living income. Residential Interviews number of
conditions of Occupancy flats Focus groups people per
Mbare rate room.
residents Average
income

2.7 SAMPLING TECHNIQUES

There are different types of sampling techniques that can be used in qualitative research such
as convenience sampling, snowball sampling, quota sampling and purposive sampling. To
produce a local development plan purposive sampling is the best to use because it is
commonly associated with qualitative research studies for the Mbare area. The researcher
will have opportunity to select the participants that are considered relevant and informative
enough for the research study, so that research questions could be answered, and the desired
research objectives would meet. The sample units to be chosen because they possess
particular characteristics that would facilitate for detailed explanation (Lewis et al, 2003) the
mixed sample approach of purposive sampling be used as there is an attempt to include
participants who vary from each other in these cases participants will be selected in Mbare on
equal basis as the study seeks to develop a local development plan. This is done to identify
important themes which would cut across the diversity of the people within the area
(Melymuk et al, 2011).

2.7.1 Sample size

In determining the sample size in the research study for a qualitative research study one can
adopt the saturation method. According to Macanasu (2020) there are no general numerical
directions in qualitative research, clear rules or methods guiding the researcher on how to
obtain a properly sized sample. This study for local development plan for Mbare will adopt
the concept of saturation such concept being borrowed from the grounded theory in order to
assess whether the sample size is proper or not (Meltered et al, 2015). According to this
principle, a sample has a proper size if it is large enough in order to achieve the aim of the
study and research questions.

Saturation is achieved when any further data collection would not result in the identification
of a new theoretical category that would be useful for understanding and explaining the
analysed occurrence.

2.8 DATA COLLECTION TOOLS

Data collection refers to the procedure of gathering, measuring and analysing accurate
insights for research using standard validated techniques, hence data collection tools are
specific devices or instruments that are used to gather data (Business Bliss Consultants FZE,
2018). These vary according to type of data to be collected which can be primary or
secondary data. Primary data is data that the researcher collect first-hand from the original
data source for a specific research purpose or project and secondary data is data that is made
available to researcher from existing sources or banks of knowledge such as journals,
publications, internet, documents and records (Persaud, 2010). The following data collection
instruments will be used in this study.

Observations are purposeful, systematic, and selective ways of watching and listening to an
interaction or phenomenon as it takes place (Murthy and Bhojana, 2009). Both direct eye and
camera observations (through taking photographs and videos) will be effected. Observations
will be utilised to collect data on the general out look of the planning area paying attention to
aspects such as pollution, waste disposal systems, state of infrastructure and buildings
available, population distributions, transport issues, to name but these few.

The research will make use of interviews. An interview is described as a form of conversation
involving personal contact and interaction between the interviewer and the respondents and is
one of the main methods of data collection used in qualitative research (Murthy and Bhojana,
2009). Semi- structured interviews were used in this research. In this research loosely
structured (semi-structured) interview guides will be made available and these are flexible in
terms of capturing the required data (Murthy and Bhojana, 2009). Interviews will be used to
collect data from: residents on their living standards and coping mechanisms; vendors on
various issues surrounding their operations such as their working places, waste disposal
mechanisms and tax paying issues; business people on economic competitiveness and
viability in the area; road users on the challenges they are facing on a daily basis in terms of
ease if movement, congestion, how the nature and state of roads are affecting transportation
in the area.

The research will also make use of focus groups to gather different types of data from
participants. A focus group is a research method that brings together a small group of people
to answer questions in a moderated setting and the group is chosen due to predefined
demographic traits, and the questions are designed to shed light on a topic of interest (Tegan,
2021). These will be used to collect data from groups of business people and vendors for
example data which will be related to their respective economic activities they practise. Focus
group results are often more comprehensible and intuitive than raw data (Tegan, 2021).
However, due to the small sample size, you cannot ensure the anonymity of respondents,
which may influence their desire to speak freely (Tegan, 2021).

Questionnaires/ survey will also be used in the research. Murthy and Bhojana (2009)
described a questionnaire as a research instrument consisting of a set of standardized
questions to gather statistical information on a subject from one or more respondents.
Structured and unstructured questions will be used to allow for a careful balance between
open ended and close-ended questions. These will be utilized to ask the Environmental
management Agency on issues related to the conservation and management of wetlands that
are present on the planning area as well as other environmental aspects surrounding the
current environmental state of Mbare.

Document analysis will be utilized to collect data regarding the land use zones in the Mbare
planning area. Document analysis is a form of qualitative research in which documents are
interpreted by the researcher to give voice and meaning around an assessment topic (Bowen,
2009).This data will be collected from the City of Harare as a Local Planning Authority
making use of the existing Local Development Plan (inclusive of its document) of the
planning area. This instrument has been chosen because it can provide background
information and broad coverage of data which can also contain data that ca no longer be
observed, provide details that informants have forgotten, and can track change and
development, thus are helpful in contextualizing this current research in preparation of the
production of a Local Development Plan for Mbare that aims at regenerating it (Bowen,
2009). However, document analysis require some investigative skills given that document
may not perfectly provide all of the necessary information required to answer research
questions (Bowen, 2009).

2.9 Ethical Considerations

The need to plan for a specific area creates the need to understand all it’s important aspects,
including ethics. As explained by (Howe and Kaufman, 1979) the most common dilemma
found in any public service profession, including planning, is the possible conflict between
what the agency, which presumably serves the public, defines as the public interest, and what
the individual professional thinks the public interest is. Community development empowers
people in society to build their capacity to improve their livelihood. It is of importance to
note that the creation of an effective local development plan is made easier by establishing
trust from the local residents. If conduct and performance of authorities and planners in the
creation of a local development plan is unethical, it generates community pessimism and
damages the leaders and public servants reputation. In light of this, ethical considerations
need to be accounted during all the proposes of data collection.

Bhandari (2022) defines ethical considerations as a set of principles that guide the
development and research of an area. In the case of Mbare, the area has a large population of
people who are diverse, which means that it is difficult to create a local development plan
without inclusivity of all members of the society itself. Factors such as religion and gender
play an important role in determining what kind of development is to be brought about in the
area. Bhandari (2022) explains the main ethical issues to consider when planning for
community development. These include voluntary participation, informed consent,
anonymity, potential for harm and result communication.

Voluntary participation ensures that participants are free to provide information without any
coercion or force. This means that they can decide to pull out of participating at any given
time without feeling an obligation to continue. They do not need to provide reasons for
leaving. In a largely populated area like Mbare, not all residents may be interviewed or
questioned, therefore it is of essence to understand that those who agree to provide
information relating to way of life and issues alike are doing it on a voluntary basis.
Anonymity is another ethical issue to consider when crafting a local development plan. This
means that data collected and observations made cannot be linked back to the people who
provided them. This is done through avoiding collection of personal details such as names,
addresses, pictures, phone numbers and identification numbers among other things.

Furthermore, it is imperative to inform residents of potential risks of harm, if any, before any
development commences. Social issues such as stigmatization by other residents due to
participation in provided information to developers may arise. Physical harm due to factors
such as machinery during development should also be advised beforehand so as to avoid
future problems.

Genaux (2004) also touches on the issue of corruption as being one of the biggest ethical
problems in any development setup. Corruption has a significant negative influence on the
development of society. When corrupt leaders in the city influence policies for their own
benefit, it is the poor who continue to suffer. Without any source of income due to
unemployment, the poor in the city do not have the means to pay bribery in order to get
favours (Mutondoro, 2018). This means that most processes will be hindered by the
continuous exploitation of funds, and no real change will be made.

In conclusion, all responsible parties in the drafting of a Local Development Plan should be
aware of the ethical issues that exist in underdeveloped areas such as Mbare, as this will
make the process easier and avoid potential obstacles such as legal action due to breaching of
human rights of the residents.

2.10 CONCLUSION

The regeneration of Mbare is a long and grueling process that requires a lot of participation
from different bodies. The problems associated with the area such as poverty, health and
unemployment need to be addressed and solutions on how these can be dealt with should be
considered. The need for a Local Development Plan is important in ensuring that
development is done in an orderly and clear manner, so that not stone is left unturned.
Therefore, the significance of these proposals is seen in the ability of authorities, planners and
Katherine developmental bodies in coming together to proffer solutions for the problems in
Mbare.
CHAPTER THREE

3.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents findings from the data collection process. Findings will be in both
textual and visual forms. Data was grouped into different themes comprising of economic,
infrastructure, environmental, transport and social data. A site analysis map will also be
exhibited. The chapter will also proffer solutions or proposals to the identified problems in
the study area (which is Mbare).

3.2

3.3 INFRASTUCTURE

3.3.1 Road Infrastructure

The road infrastructure in the area of study is in a pathetic state characterized by dusty roads
and where there is tar there are potholes. The roads are narrow. Designated terminals for local
transport are not visible, instead there is a rank for long distance transportation such as
Harare-Mutare Buses, hence local commuter omnibuses were observed dropping off
passengers within the road way. There are no functional traffic lights, road markings and not
to mention proper signage. All these were observed to have been contributing to congestion
and high accident rates in Mbare. It was observed that there are no cycle tracks, pavements
and well established pedestrian ways within the area of study, hence the absence of road
democracy provisions posed danger to pedestrians and cyclists. Below are some pictures
showing the state of the roads in Mbare.

Figure 2: Picture showing a dusty road with depressions that is congested.

Figure 3

3.3.2 Housing Infrastructure

Old dilapidated housing flats were observed and some had broken windows. There is
encroachment into building lines demonstrating disregard to development control measures.
More so, some buildings are characterized by high levels of graffiti. Illegal houses were
identified, some respondents during interviews highlighted that they constructed these illegal
second dwelling units due to housing shortages in the area and others said they had to
subdivide portions of their properties, extend some rooms and rent them out to other people
who needed accommodation desperately. However, it was vividly noticeable that the state of
most houses were not safe for human habitation (that is, they had no approved building plans
from the city council, some had no windows and doors and some window sections were
covered with plastics or totally closed by bricks). The manner in which other housing
structures were constructed also indicated poor security. Generally, housing infrastructure
presented a distorted of form and esthetics of an urban space (Mbare).
Figure 4: A picture showing a housing unit with broken windows.

Figure 5: A picture showing a dilapidated housing building or flat.

Figure 6: A picture showing illegal housing structures with no windows.

3.3.3 Water and Sewerage Infrastructure

Broken or busting pipes for both sewer and water were observed evidenced by water leakages
and surface flow of sewage within the neighborhood and roads. This indicated loss of water.
Sewage flows caused air and land pollution and the study area was not aesthetically pleasing
at all.
Figure 7: A picture showing surface flow of sewage.

Figure 8: A picture showing evidence of water leakages.

3.4 ECONOMIC

Illegal car washing was observed in Mbare. There is side road vending within the study area,
some vendors were noticed to have encroached into the road space. This attributed to side
road erosion which was also noticed. Light industry (welding and carpentry) and other
informal business operations were not legally positioned. Furthermore, there are shabby
commercial spaces. Formal business operators during interviews highlighted that the
presence of informal vendors everywhere in the area has affected their business dismally
given that most of the time the vendors sell goods at a price lower than that of formal
retailers. Illegal tax operations were observed within the area. Below are some pictures
showing some of the issues.

Figure 9: A picture showing side road vending.

Figure 10: A picture showing illegal car washing.

3.5 ENVIRONMENT

Illegal dump sites were observed to have been located haphazardly within the study area
which caused a lot of land and air pollution. In addition, waste is being dumped even in roads
thereby disturbing traffic movement. There is pollution of the wetland due to sewage flow
and solid waste dumping. The outlook of the environment in Mbare is underwhelming and
disgusting. During interviews, most respondents blamed the city council for their
predicament saying the council rarely collect waste, hence they would have left with no
option than to dump it in open spaces within the area. The pictures below shows evidence of
environment distortion.

Figure 11: A picture showing illegal dumping within the road space.
Figure 12: A picture showing pollution of the wetland due to sewage flow.

Figure 13: A pie chart showing refuce collection frequency by the City Council.
References

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