Zimbabwe: Settlements Policy Key to Poverty Eradication

Collective wisdom informs that a man’s worth is determined by the way he treats his family, and that includes provision of a roof over their heads; a roof that they can inherit and call their own.

The Second Republic’s thrust to eradicate poverty, and protect citizens against scammers through provision of affordable housing units is not only commendable, but also apt.

As sociologist Matthew Desmond avers, housing is “the sturdiest of footholds for economic mobility”.

He maintains that an affordable national shelter programme would be “an anti-poverty effort, human capital investment, community improvement plan, and public health initiative, all rolled into one.”

Indeed, there is no lack that beats the poverty of homelessness, which is why the Second Republic’s commitment to provide reasonably priced housing units for citizens cannot be overemphasised.

The Government ticks all the right boxes towards an upper middle income status as enshrined in national Vision 2030, and envisioned in the recently launched Zimbabwe National Human Settlements Policy.

The settlements policy is aimed at informing the implementation of relevant facets of the African Union’s Agenda 2030’s Sustainable Development Goals, Vision 2030 and national and international pliability frameworks.

This will in turn massively contribute to overall economic growth in line with National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) — a five-year economic blueprint that runs from 2021-2025 — launched by President Mnangagwa in November last year.

A successor to the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), NDS1 is key to the achievement of Vision 2030 and seeks to streamline gender, youth, women and other vulnerable groups, hence, creating equal opportunities for all citizens in an economically stable environment.

The approach adopted in the policy was to rope in all stakeholders in human settlements growth taking into cognisance deficiencies in the National Housing Policy of 2012.

The 2012 policy followed the National Housing Convention of 2009.

Since land is finite, and a bone of contention globally, it has to be utilised effectively, for the benefit of future generations.

High rise flats, as envisaged in the policy, are the way to go, although in some cases they may be costly as compared to building low-cost 50 square metre houses on 200 or 250 square metre lots, considered socially acceptable.

But when the cost of land is factored in, then high rise flats suffice.

Growth points can also be revisited, since they provide serene environments for retirement and reduce pressure on urban areas, which is causing headaches for town planners.

Furthermore, comparatively, land in rural areas is cheaper, which will go a long way in the Government’s quest to provide shelter for its employees; and other partners can also take a cue from this.

To that end, the Second Republic, under the stewardship of President Mnangagwa, has set a target of 220 000 houses and flats by 2025, with hundreds of houses having been completed in Norton. Thousands of other houses and flats are at different stages of construction across the country.

Last week, the President commissioned the Marimba Flats Project, and launched the Zimbabwe National Human Settlements Policy to expedite the creation of a conducive environment for all stakeholders to participate in settlements development, for ease of housing delivery.

The policy will, among other issues, provide for disaster risk assessments, environmental impact mitigation, climate change implications into rural and urban settlement planning, development and management.

The President said his administration will deliver on the provision of accommodation.

“My Government is accelerating the provision of houses and social amenities to all sections of society, including the health sector,” he said. “Numerous new housing projects and others, which had stalled, are being completed across the country.

“Success of the programme is being further accelerated through collaboration and coordinated efforts from various stakeholders.”

To curb settlement stretch, 40 percent of land earmarked for human settlement will be set aside for the construction of high-rise flats and buildings.

Recognising that housing is a basic human right, the policy opens up opportunities for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the construction sector.

Shelter is considered one of the effective indicators of the extent to which poverty has been eradicated in any country.

Shelter Afrique, a Pan-African bank, has come on board with a US$65 million facility to fund housing through building societies, and the Urban Development Corporation (Udcorp).

Under the partnership, hundreds of the 2 200 houses under construction in KockMallock Estate in Norton, are now complete.

The partnership follows similar deals in the past, which helped in easing pressures commensurate with urbanisation.

Many other PPPs can be sought, because provision of housing cannot be the burden of Government alone.

Private players, with Government support, can get opportunities in the construction sector, a case of profitable social responsibility. What should be guarded against is profiteering at the expense of the same people meant to be beneficiaries.

Between 1984 and 1993, the World Bank provided a $43 million Urban Development Loan to Zimbabwe as the country transited to self-rule.

The project proved that PPPs work, as the building societies involved, chief among them the Central Africa Building Society (CABS), delivered through coming up with favourable conditions for low-income earners with the support of the central bank.

In collaboration with the World Bank and USAID, the Government of Zimbabwe introduced a programme for infrastructure facelift in urban areas between 1986 and 2000.

The programme was implemented in two phases; Urban 1, which was effected between 1986 and 1988, and Urban 2, executed between 1988 and 1997.

Urban 1’s focus was the capacitation of local authorities to enable them to provide bulk infrastructure. Manpower training and skilled staff retention programmes were also key under this phase, so was plant and equipment acquisition.

Urban 2 endeavoured to prop up capacity building of councils as a successor to Urban 1 by extending loans to local authorities for the provision of bulk infrastructure; making the most of private players’ involvement in urban housing; and offering assistance in the development of regional schemes dedicated to smaller towns and growth centres.

This period saw a marginal dominance of site and service programmes on the housing scene, with the Government in the driving seat, and the private sector playing a complementary role as contractors and housing providers. Many employers also became noticeable in the provision of housing during the Urban 2 phase.

During this phase, flats were constructed in Seke B (Chitungwiza); Budiriro 2, Willowvale, Mufakose, Marimba, Mabelreign (Odzi and Zambezi flats), Dzivarasekwa Extension, Tynwald and Tafara (Harare); Third Street (Gweru); Dombotombo (Marondera); and Florida in Mutare.

Through PPPs, houses were constructed in Sunway City (Harare) and Chikanga (Mutare), Lower Paradise (Marondera), Mbizo 22 (Kwekwe) and Parklands (Bulawayo) between 2011 and 2012.

With the coming in of the Second Republic, housing units were constructed in Nemanwa (Masvingo) and Murereki (Makonde) between 2019 and 2020. High rise flats were constructed in Tafara; and other stalled projects were also resumed.

Last year, the Government, through the Public Service Commission, partnered National Building Society to roll out a $60 million housing facility for civil servants.

Such partnerships ensure both continuity, transparency and accountability.

National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Daniel Garwe, said of the approach adopted in the settlements policy: “The vision of the policy is ‘towards well-planned and governed sustainable human settlements’.

“It also explains alternative housing finance models. The policy shall be the cornerstone of the housing delivery sector under the National Development Strategy 1, pursuant to Vision 2030.”

In consultation with relevant stakeholders, as a way of addressing existing disparities, the Government is taking a deliberate move to ensure sustainable provision of housing and social amenities in both rural and urban settlements.

The policy addresses adverse impacts of climate change and the need to protect wetlands, which have suffered the brunt of illegal settlements, through adoption and adaptation of resilient building technologies as well as disposition toward green energy.

Collective wisdom informs that a man’s worth is determined by the way he treats his family, and that includes provision of a roof over their heads; a roof that they can inherit and call their own.

Hence, the Government’s commitment to housing ensures that breadwinners provide more than bread, but reliable shelter for their loved ones.

Although monetary benefits may be attractive for the here and now, housing, as a fundamental human need, remains the strongest foothold for economic freedom.

Therefore, companies, banks and local authorities should complement Government’s efforts in the provision of affordable housing units, as a progressive way of eradicating poverty, and protecting citizens against swindlers, as enshrined in national Vision 2030 and embodied in the Zimbabwe National Human Settlements Policy (2020).

By The Herald.