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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 27999, member: 2262"] About 200 houses, including fancy mansions, near National Heroes Acre face destruction because people built them illegally on land set aside for expanding Harare Drive. City officials explain that Harare Drive was always planned as a circular road around the city according to the original 1998 road designs. These plans show missing road sections meant to link important areas like Solomon Mujuru Drive at Warren Hills, Gleneagles Road in Southerton, Houghton Park, Mainway Meadows, Retreat, Seke Road, Twentydales Road in Hatfield, and Mutare Road in Msasa. People built most heavily on road land in the Waterfalls and Retreat areas, where more than 100 houses stand on future road space. Mainway Meadows residents respected the rules by leaving a 60-meter-wide open strip for the road project. Illegal building keeps happening in Retreat, though, where reports say land dealers sell plots, knowing the road will eventually come through that area. Minister Oliver Makoni from Church of Grace Ministries claims his property follows all rules, saying he has proper paperwork and site plans for his land. Samuel Nyabezi, acting director of urban planning for Harare City Council, admits many people built where they shouldn't have, especially in Retreat. He stated clearly that any structures on road reserve land would be knocked down because nobody received permission to build homes there. Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume agrees demolition remains the only real option unless higher government officials block these actions. The situation became more complicated after a recent Constitutional Court decision ruled that tearing down buildings without court orders violates the Constitution. This creates a legal roadblock for city authorities who want to clear the land for the planned road expansion project. [/QUOTE]

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