Harare City Council fights back against a court order that demands repairs to crumbling apartment blocks. The local government refuses to fix water pipes and sewage systems at Mbare flats despite a judge's ruling. Residents face daily struggles with overflowing toilets and empty taps. The Combined Harare Residents Association slammed the council for dodging its duties. Justice Priscilla Munangati-Manongwa had ordered immediate action to improve living conditions.
The appeal hearing happens July 18 before Justice Manyangadze at the High Court. City officials want to overturn the judgment that forces them to upgrade Matapi, Matererini, and Nenyere housing complexes. Thousands of people cram into tiny rooms without proper ventilation or waste disposal. Raw sewage flows through hallways as broken pipes leak everywhere. Water shortages leave families scrambling for clean drinking supplies.
Housing advocates warn that disease outbreaks could strike the overcrowded community. The court had ruled that basic human dignity required urgent infrastructure repairs. Residents association director Reuben Akili called the council's legal challenge shocking. Local authorities should protect public health instead of fighting court orders. The deteriorating flats threaten the wellbeing of entire families.
Activists demand that national government ministries step into the crisis. The Ministry of Local Government and Ministry of Health must intervene before conditions worsen. Legal experts question how councils can ignore constitutional rights to housing and healthcare. The appeal threatens to leave Mbare residents waiting even longer for basic services.
The appeal hearing happens July 18 before Justice Manyangadze at the High Court. City officials want to overturn the judgment that forces them to upgrade Matapi, Matererini, and Nenyere housing complexes. Thousands of people cram into tiny rooms without proper ventilation or waste disposal. Raw sewage flows through hallways as broken pipes leak everywhere. Water shortages leave families scrambling for clean drinking supplies.
Housing advocates warn that disease outbreaks could strike the overcrowded community. The court had ruled that basic human dignity required urgent infrastructure repairs. Residents association director Reuben Akili called the council's legal challenge shocking. Local authorities should protect public health instead of fighting court orders. The deteriorating flats threaten the wellbeing of entire families.
Activists demand that national government ministries step into the crisis. The Ministry of Local Government and Ministry of Health must intervene before conditions worsen. Legal experts question how councils can ignore constitutional rights to housing and healthcare. The appeal threatens to leave Mbare residents waiting even longer for basic services.
