Urban Local Governance in the Crucible: empirical overtones of central government meddling in local urban councils affairs in Zimbabwe

This article explores the criticalness of decentralized governance as a solution towards service delivery challenges experienced by urban centres. But, in Zimbabwe centre-local relations are a phenomenological reflection of a tendency towards (re)centralization than decentralization. This is clearly visible in the widespread political interference by central government’s Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing in the administrative affairs of urban councils. The results from a survey of a sample of fifty-two respondents on the Zimbabwean urban governance status revealed that issues of political interference revolved around the firing of legitimate councils and mayors, control of all council reforms including generation of funds, politicking in the chambers, unlawful appointments, and the use of commissions. Constitutional amendment has been cited as a big step towards political interference in urban governance of the country.decentralisation, citizenship, sustainable development, urban politics, constitution, financial management, interference

Limits to Ecological-Based Planning in Zimbabwe the case of Harare

This paper explores the feasibility of adopting ecological based planning in low-income residential development. It explicates that in developing countries efforts by housing authorities have been on housing provision irrespective of the environmental threats to sustainability. As these houses are built, future of urban ecology is under threat. The questions regarding this phenomenon are several: how do low-income populations perceive environmental issues of urban settlements? How capable and willing are the local authorities to embrace and apply ecological based planning in residential development? What are the facilitating instruments of ecological-based planning? What are the prospects of integrating ecological based planning to low-income residential development? What are the restraining factors towards embracement of ecological based planning and how best can they be harnessed towards future ecological cities? The case study of Hatcliffe residential area in Harare shows that there are many challenges to overcome uncoordinated planning approaches, ineffective policies and legislative frameworks, weak institutional settings, financial constraints, outdated planning standards and regulations, poverty, lack of environmental stewardship and lack of political will among others. The study findings call for robust environmental conservation strategies, strong environmental stewardship, responsive institutional and funding mechanism backed by realistic legislative frameworks and robust policy rectification

CRITERIA FOR MEASURING PLACE STEWARDSHIP: THE EXAMPLE OF RUWA AND EPWORTH, PERI-URBAN HARARE, ZIMBABWE

The paper argues that though place stewardship is largely qualitative concept and practice, it is measurable. For theoretical analysis, the paper uses Amatya Sen and Yi-Fu Tuan’s models of capability and place, respectively, frameworks through which the indicators of measurement are drawn. By an illustrative set of criterion indicators, the paper puts across a possible framework for sustainable development through the element of place stewardship. Specifically, the criteria include individual capacity in households and membership; community capacity to decide on their ends; institutional capacity to meet the demands of the individuals, communities and those of other organizations; collaborative capacity to work on areas of common interest; and, the learning capacity of individuals, communities and organizations to adopt new innovations and adapt to changes. Place references are made to peri-urban settlements of Ruwa and Epworth, satellites of Harare, the capital city of Harare. Methodologically, the paper is based on the findings from a four year study by the author of this paper in which the behaviour, attitudes, perceptions and experiences of the inhabitants of the two settlements are crystallised and analysed.

The Informal Striving to Formalize Operations for Survival: The Example of Two Women Housing Cooperatives in Harare, Zimbabwe

This paper seeks to examine and analyze the tension between formal institutions and informal institutions assessing explanatory factors regarding successful access to housing by the urban poor in Zimbabwe. The paper provides an anecdotal assessment on issues of the state opening up space for non-state actors, and, how these housing cooperatives have strived to formalize their operations while others have used party politics for development and ‘survival’. A literature review and case study of selected women housing cooperatives in Harare (Tashinga and Joshua Nkomo), was guided by the following research question: Is the success of the housing co-operatives mostly a function of patronage or that of a formalized structure that allows for transparency and accountability

Urban Land-use and Traffic Congestion: Mapping the Interaction

The interaction between transport, land-uses and travel patterns produce diverse transportation problems in urban cities with traffic congestion as the most visible manifestation. Traffic congestion is a frequent phenomenon in most cities around the globe. This paper reviews the interaction between land-use traffic congestion through published literature. The objective of this study is to encourage and provide researchers with future research directions in land-use and traffic congestion. For this purpose, a systematic review was performed analysing 45 articles from the year 2010 to 2020 using a descriptive approach. Subsequently, the results of the study show that although the interaction between land-use and traffic congestion has gained currency in developed countries far less is known on this subject in developing parts of the world, though new evidence is steadily accumulating. Consequently, limitations of this work are presented, opportunities are identified for future lines of research. Finally, the conclusion confirms the need for further research addressing the methodological concerns

Exploring the Water-Nutrient-Food Nexus for an African City Region: Linking the Chivero Lake and Harare City Region, Zimbabwe

Some of the most important challenges in the city regions of Africa are related to food, energy, water, and nutrients. To meet these challenges, arguments have emerged that cities should become regenerative, resource-efficient and arrest the decline of ecosystems. Therefore, a case study was performed by considering the linkage between Lake Chivero, and the Harare city region to conceptualize a framework of the water-nutrient-food nexus and to examine how nutrients from the wastewater that is disposed to Lake Chivero can assist in contributing to the food production in the Harare city region. An Applied Systems Analysis (ASA) linked System Dynamics (SD) modelling methodology was used. It is observed that the water supply in the city region, wastewater generation and disposal to Lake Chivero, nutrients, food production, food consumption and wastewater generated from consumption in the city, all work in a feedback mechanism. Premised upon the feedback mechanism, the ASA linked SD model estimates that Lake Chivero has already accumulated about 19,800 tonnes of Nitrogen (N) in its sediments, of which over half can be extracted. To comprehend the significance, it is estimated that 100 tonnes of N might assist in the production of over 35,000 tonnes of food if extracted and utilised in the city region. Therefore, the waste generated in the city region needs to be considered as a resource and recovered, which might turn a recalcitrant problem of pollution into the benefits of resource recovery and environmental and socio-economic wellbeing of the city region

Servicing the Needs of Inflating Population at Growth Points in Zimbabwe? Spatio-Temporal and Economic Considerations

While growth points in Zimbabwe were created to become economically viable spatial entities, over time they have not so much grown as intended. Amid the urbanization thrust in the country, these places have grown and continue to grow demographically. Little studies, if any, in Zimbabwe, have been done to establish the possible future outcomes of this urbanization of small settlements. This present paper examines the implications of the multiplier effect at growth points in the country. The main question is: What is the likely future of the growth centres in the country and what new infrastructural and related assets need to be in place if chaotic urbanization is to characterize these places. By case studies we attempt to make a rapid assessment of the situation, basing on historical trends and developments with the aim of proposing future policy and practical alternatives

A review on the systems approach for solving the complexity of the environmental problematique of cities in Africa

This article is woven to satisfy interlinked objectives of assessing the determinants for successful greening of the city and comparing and contrasting cities in their greening. A cross-sectional review of literature on the role of planning in city greening, the determinant factors for success and limits to this success has been done coupled by case analyses of five cities in the region. To better the situation and future of the African city space, it is imperative to examine the effect of this lack of interactive data and stakeholders’ input into urban greening efforts. Unless such a preliminary analysis is done and a model for addressing this, developed, Africa will miss what the industrial city of the eighteenth century missed which eventually led to misery and suffering as cities developed in an unsustainable manner