The long-delayed servicing of more than 15,000 residential stands in Cowdray Park’s Hlalani Kuhle development in Bulawayo has been pushed to a projected 16-year completion timeline, after residents’ failure to sustain monthly contributions crippled cash flows.
What was once envisioned as a rapid response to Bulawayo’s housing crisis has instead become a decades-long exercise in patience and fiscal frustration.
The Hlalani Kuhle initiative was established in 2005 as a fast-track housing programme designed to curb the growth of illegal settlements in urban areas.
Its inception followed the late president Robert Mugabe’s Operation Murambatsvina, a widely condemned government campaign that left nearly 700 000 people homeless after the destruction of structures deemed illegal and unhygienic.
In the aftermath, the rollout of Cowdray Park resulted in the construction of houses that lacked essential social amenities, including basic roads, sewer systems, and water access.
In an attempt to bypass traditional council-funded housing schemes that had faltered under budget constraints, Bulawayo authorities implemented a self-financing model.
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Under this arrangement, beneficiaries were expected to pay monthly contributions toward the cost of servicing their own stands.
According to the latest council minutes, the project—designed to service 15 524 stands—was initially expected to be finished within five years of its 2012 launch, based on a US$50 monthly contribution model agreed upon with residents.
However, the plan began to unravel during its implementation phase, as approximately 75% of beneficiaries failed to meet their payment obligations.
In an effort to accommodate struggling households, the local authority intervened.
“As a result, council later reviewed the contributions downwards to US$15 per month after engaging residents, but this further weakened the project’s financial base,” read a recent council report.
This reduction, combined with Zimbabwe’s volatile economic climate, has been devastating.
Since 2019, most residents have contributed the equivalent of ZiG15 million, a figure that has seen its value eroded by currency changes and skyrocketing infrastructure costs.
This financial collapse has stretched the completion horizon from five years to 16.
Despite the internal funding crisis, the local authority has managed to keep the project on life support through international development partners.
The Australian government provided water and sewer pipes, while the African Development Bank (AfDB) funded approximately 4,600 water meters.
Additional support came from the Dutch government, which injected US$322 168.61 for connection materials, and the Zimbabwean treasury, which funded 2.9 kilometres of surfaced road.
Yet, the progress remains starkly uneven. While water infrastructure is nearing completion at 97%, sewer installation languishes at 33%, and road construction has barely begun, sitting at a dismal 4%.
Council estimates indicate that US46 million is needed, leaving a staggering funding gap of over US$33 million.
In response to the crisis, an inter-departmental committee meeting in July 2024 proposed a raft of emergency measures.
Key resolutions included re-engaging residents to address outstanding payments, regularising unapproved stands, and fast-tracking the allocation of commercial stands through open tenders.
Authorities also flagged the urgent need to address mosquito infestations and improve refuse collection to prevent further public health risks.