6 Years After Unfulfilled Swimming Pool Flats in Mbare, Mnangagwa Makes New Pledge of 3,000 Housing Units for Defence Forces
Harare, Zimbabwe – In a striking development that has raised eyebrows across the nation, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced plans to construct 3,000 housing units for members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF). This latest promise comes on the heels of a notorious unfulfilled pledge made six years ago, where Mnangagwa promised to build swimming pool-equipped flats in Mbare—a promise that never saw the light of day.
The President’s recent announcement, part of a broader initiative to improve the welfare of Defence Forces personnel, includes a range of non-monetary incentives such as Civil Service Housing Loans and Vehicle Purchase schemes. Additionally, the government has reportedly expanded the transport fleet for the Defence Forces, though details on the execution of these promises remain vague.
“An array of strategies are under way to improve the welfare of members of our Defence Forces,” Mnangagwa declared. “Over and above housing units that are ready for occupation, Government will soon be embarking on the construction of 3,000 housing units for members of the ZDF. This is part of the comprehensive programme by my Administration to increase affordable housing stock throughout the country.”
However, many Zimbabweans are skeptical, viewing this new pledge as yet another empty promise. The 2018 commitment to build modern flats in Mbare, complete with swimming pools, was met with widespread skepticism at the time and has since been branded as a blatant falsehood. Despite repeated assurances, the project never materialized, leaving many to question the authenticity of the government’s promises.
This latest announcement has been met with a mix of skepticism and frustration. Critics argue that the government’s track record of unfulfilled promises casts a long shadow over any new commitments, especially those involving significant infrastructure projects. For many, the pledge of 3,000 housing units for the Defence Forces feels like déjà vu—a grand promise likely to remain on paper rather than turn into reality.
As Zimbabweans wait to see if this latest promise will be fulfilled, the echoes of unbuilt swimming pool flats in Mbare serve as a stark reminder of the gap between political rhetoric and tangible results in the country’s current administration.