A beautiful piece of history disappears little by little every day. Over the past century, families used to enjoy picnics, kids played happily, and couples walked hand-in-hand through Harare Gardens. The park has become a deadly trap where one misstep might cost your life. Fear and danger hide the natural beauty that once made this place special.
Fear, crime, and shame have replaced the old face of this iconic landmark. Bad guys, thieves, drug users, and prostitutes hang around this small yet packed park. Going there puts you at risk, especially after sunset when darkness brings a creepy feeling across the grounds. Evening transforms everything about the gardens.
Kids laughing has changed to thieves talking quietly. Leaves rustling becomes footsteps moving behind you. Flower scents turn into nasty smells of garbage and neglect. Night at Harare Gardens creates a different world where law means almost nothing and cruel people target anyone passing through the area.
Homeless youth, orphans, and runaways live inside Harare Gardens, eating whatever scraps they find. Stories say these kids change as darkness falls - they start stealing from people, grabbing bags, and picking pockets of visitors. The dangerous folks extend beyond just street children, though many think that's all who cause trouble.
Darkness brings out worse criminals around the park. Some look like regular people who tell their families they work night jobs. They actually spend their time robbing innocent folks who walk through, pretending to be street kids when they attack. They fool everyone with their fake identities and hidden motives.
One park worker who asked to remain anonymous warned about crossing through after 6 pm. The entire area becomes extremely dangerous right away. These crooks want your wallet, phone, and any valuable items they can take from you. They assume everyone carries a phone and hunt people who look like they have money.
The situation turns even more risky for those suspected of carrying cash. Strangely, having some money might save your life - robbers may leave without hurting you if they find something to steal. The danger comes when they think you're hiding valuables or refuse to hand them over quickly.
Another employee recalled a terrible incident where thieves killed a woman over her cell phone. She had refused to give up her device during a robbery attempt inside Harare Gardens. Workers discovered blood stains and her body the next morning. Nobody helped despite hearing her screams for assistance.
Someone admitted hearing her cries but feared stepping in to help. He only realized later that his inaction meant someone lost their life. This shows how dangerous the situation has become - even witnesses stay quiet rather than risk becoming targets themselves. Fear rules everyone's decisions around the park.
Ivy Khumalo sells things near the gardens and sees problems even during daytime hours. Street kids grab women's wigs or sunglasses, then dash into huge trees where catching them becomes impossible. She watches people crying daily after losing phones to quick-moving thieves who know the area perfectly.
People expect these crimes as normal events these days. Khumalo explains they constantly warn visitors using that entrance to stay away from the garden, especially after evening starts. Many walk past her crying after being robbed, but locals can only offer warnings since nobody can stop what happens inside.
The Harare City Council spokesperson, Stanley Gama, responded without directly addressing Harare Gardens' problems. He mentioned robberies happen everywhere across Harare and throughout Zimbabwe. He suggested all groups must work together to address street children and crime issues affecting the community.
Gama talked about teaming up with police to fight street crime. He promised better lighting inside the gardens to keep criminals away. The spokesperson claimed they planted new trees, watered regularly, and fixed the fountain, denying any neglect of the historic space despite visible problems everywhere.
The newspaper checked these claims and found different truths. Their investigation revealed gardens falling apart from lack of care. Tall grass grows unchecked throughout areas once cleaned daily. Street children leave their stuff scattered everywhere. Empty ponds that once held fish sit abandoned, with reports saying those fish died years ago from neglect.
By press time, police had not shared numbers about crimes happening inside Harare Gardens. The spokesperson noted that many incidents never reach official reports. The actual crime rate likely exceeds whatever limited statistics show about problems plaguing this once beautiful park that served as a centerpiece of city life.
Fear, crime, and shame have replaced the old face of this iconic landmark. Bad guys, thieves, drug users, and prostitutes hang around this small yet packed park. Going there puts you at risk, especially after sunset when darkness brings a creepy feeling across the grounds. Evening transforms everything about the gardens.
Kids laughing has changed to thieves talking quietly. Leaves rustling becomes footsteps moving behind you. Flower scents turn into nasty smells of garbage and neglect. Night at Harare Gardens creates a different world where law means almost nothing and cruel people target anyone passing through the area.
Homeless youth, orphans, and runaways live inside Harare Gardens, eating whatever scraps they find. Stories say these kids change as darkness falls - they start stealing from people, grabbing bags, and picking pockets of visitors. The dangerous folks extend beyond just street children, though many think that's all who cause trouble.
Darkness brings out worse criminals around the park. Some look like regular people who tell their families they work night jobs. They actually spend their time robbing innocent folks who walk through, pretending to be street kids when they attack. They fool everyone with their fake identities and hidden motives.
One park worker who asked to remain anonymous warned about crossing through after 6 pm. The entire area becomes extremely dangerous right away. These crooks want your wallet, phone, and any valuable items they can take from you. They assume everyone carries a phone and hunt people who look like they have money.
The situation turns even more risky for those suspected of carrying cash. Strangely, having some money might save your life - robbers may leave without hurting you if they find something to steal. The danger comes when they think you're hiding valuables or refuse to hand them over quickly.
Another employee recalled a terrible incident where thieves killed a woman over her cell phone. She had refused to give up her device during a robbery attempt inside Harare Gardens. Workers discovered blood stains and her body the next morning. Nobody helped despite hearing her screams for assistance.
Someone admitted hearing her cries but feared stepping in to help. He only realized later that his inaction meant someone lost their life. This shows how dangerous the situation has become - even witnesses stay quiet rather than risk becoming targets themselves. Fear rules everyone's decisions around the park.
Ivy Khumalo sells things near the gardens and sees problems even during daytime hours. Street kids grab women's wigs or sunglasses, then dash into huge trees where catching them becomes impossible. She watches people crying daily after losing phones to quick-moving thieves who know the area perfectly.
People expect these crimes as normal events these days. Khumalo explains they constantly warn visitors using that entrance to stay away from the garden, especially after evening starts. Many walk past her crying after being robbed, but locals can only offer warnings since nobody can stop what happens inside.
The Harare City Council spokesperson, Stanley Gama, responded without directly addressing Harare Gardens' problems. He mentioned robberies happen everywhere across Harare and throughout Zimbabwe. He suggested all groups must work together to address street children and crime issues affecting the community.
Gama talked about teaming up with police to fight street crime. He promised better lighting inside the gardens to keep criminals away. The spokesperson claimed they planted new trees, watered regularly, and fixed the fountain, denying any neglect of the historic space despite visible problems everywhere.
The newspaper checked these claims and found different truths. Their investigation revealed gardens falling apart from lack of care. Tall grass grows unchecked throughout areas once cleaned daily. Street children leave their stuff scattered everywhere. Empty ponds that once held fish sit abandoned, with reports saying those fish died years ago from neglect.
By press time, police had not shared numbers about crimes happening inside Harare Gardens. The spokesperson noted that many incidents never reach official reports. The actual crime rate likely exceeds whatever limited statistics show about problems plaguing this once beautiful park that served as a centerpiece of city life.
