by Staff Writer

Government has partnered Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) to provide accommodation for Harare home seekers whose waiting list stands at approximately 500 000.

The Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities, Daniel Garwe said that the ministry was leading the process of coordinating resource mobilization and had since partnered IDBZ, while in consultation with three other potential infrastructure developers.

“We have partnered IDBZ to assist with the provision of decent accommodation for Harare home seekers whose waiting list continue ballooning every day. In 2015, the waiting list stood at 151 000 and has since tripled to about 453 000.

“As such IDBZ will build two blocks in Mbare at an estimated cost of USD$2, 8 million,” he said.

Earlier this week, Cabinet said that it had identified four sites under phase one of the Mbare Re-Development Programme with the potential to accommodate an excess of 2 000 households at an estimated cost of $6,5 billion.

“The architectural designs for the proposed flats and the attendant three-dimension models for the development are already available,” read the cabinet statement. 

In Tafara/Manresa, under Harare City Council, available serviced land adjacent to existing flats has been identified, and 21 blocks of flats are set to be constructed to accommodate 336 households.

In Dzivarasekwa, serviced State land adjacent to existing flats is available, and 160 blocks of flats can be constructed to accommodate 2 560 households. While in Prospect, near Ardbennie, available serviced land adjacent to existing flats can accommodate at least 15 blocks of flats for 240 households as well.