Harare Correspondent
HARARE – The Harare City Council has disclosed that nearly one-third of buildings in the city’s Central Business District (CBD) are in a state of significant disrepair, exacerbating a mass exodus of businesses to suburban areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The alarming statistic was revealed during a recent workshop where Harare Metropolitan Province local authorities presented draft master plan updates to Harare Provincial Minister Charles Tavengwa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Principal Consultant for the Harare Master Plan project, Mr. Trymore Muderere, presented stark findings from the Real Estate and Land Marketing draft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“There is a mass exodus of businesses from the central business district, with major companies relocating to suburban areas due to high crime, poor parking, and deteriorating services,” Muderere stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He further detailed the CBD’s decline:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We are also seeing a high office vacancy rate, with 60 percent of office space remaining empty. Furthermore, 31 percent of CBD buildings are in poor condition.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This revelation follows action taken last year when the city council identified over 500 buildings\u2014including 14 multi-story structures\u2014as unsafe for occupation and posing potential dangers to people and adjacent properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite these condemnations, the council has acknowledged failing to take enforcement action against the non-compliant property owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The combination of deteriorating infrastructure, high vacancy rates, and the flight of businesses paints a concerning picture of the heart of Zimbabwe’s capital city, highlighting urgent challenges for urban renewal and economic revitalization efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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