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Residents demand title to their houses
Harare Residents Trust (HRT)
September 21, 2009

Residents across Harare high density suburbs have demanded title to their houses, among other key demands at a public meeting held on Saturday 19 September 2009 at the Stodart Hall. They accused the City of Harare of downplaying the significance of title deeds, yet they were paying more under the rented-accommodation facility.

The residents, numbering about 300, demanded that the council should urgently address this anomaly where people who have occupied their houses for more than 50 years are still considered as renting and therefore pay more money to the council. They are constantly threatened with evictions if they delay making payments.

They said council was reluctant to educate residents on how to obtain title deeds because this will result in reduced revenue to council as people will only pay for rates.

Other key issues raised at the meeting were the continued interference by local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo on council affairs. Councillor Friday Muleya of ward 4 said some key important resolutions made by council were spurned by some heads of departments at Town House who still pay allegiance to Chombo and this was affecting development in the city of Harare.

Muleya said there is a serious fight at Town House because they were some projects which were clandestinely approved during March and June 2008 when council was not yet in office. These projects include the controversial airport road upgrading. Most people who want these projects to go ahead have entrenched financial interests in these projects.

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