By Municipal Reporter-The Harare City Council is set to evict 9,000 familiesfor failing to pay rentals for their City Council-owned properties.

The evictions are being spearheaded by Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume, a former MDC Alliance official now aligned with Sengezo Tshabangu, who controversially declared himself CCC interim secretary general in 2023.

Tshabangu’s actions have been widely condemned as a Zanu PF-engineered scheme to decimate Zimbabwe’s strongest opposition force from within.

In late 2023 and throughout 2024, Tshabangu triggered a political earthquake by recalling dozens of CCC Members of Parliament, senators, and councillors—including some elected under the leadership of the late Nelson Chamisa—effectively handing control of Parliament and local authorities back to Zanu PF or its proxies. 

He claimed the recalled representatives were no longer members of the party, despite having no formal mandate or founding role within the CCC. 

Many viewed his actions as part of a broader strategy to weaken democratic institutions and consolidate authoritarian rule.

Now, that political maneuvering appears to be translating into real suffering on the ground. 

Harare City Council Housing Manager Edgar Dzehonye revealed this week that mass evictions are imminent due to widespread non-payment of rentals.

“The City of Harare owns about 10,000 rented properties and only less than 10% of tenants are up to date with their payments,” Dzehonye said. “We are issuing final demand notices that will run for 14 days, after which eviction notices will be served.”

Dzehonye acknowledged that some tenants were subletting properties, and that the council was “not in the business of making people suffer,” but insisted that obligations must be fulfilled.

Mayor Mafume’s leadership has been under scrutiny since Tshabangu’s faction took over council decision-making. Critics argue that under his watch, service delivery has deteriorated while punitive measures, such as mass evictions and demolitions, have increased—often targeting opposition strongholds and informal settlements.

As evictions loom, the affected families—many of whom are informal workers, pensioners, and unemployed citizens—face an uncertain future. 

With Zimbabwe’s economy in continued decline, compounded by hyperinflation and political instability, the risk of homelessness has become yet another dimension of the crisis.

Observers warn that unless the courts or political stakeholders intervene, the evictions will deepen public resentment and further destabilize urban areas already battling with water shortages, poor sanitation, and high unemployment.