Chitown Residents Fume Over ‘Unjust’ Durawall Fines as Municipality Seeks to Rake in Revenue

By Loyd Matare
Residents of Chitungwiza are reeling in shock and anger after the local municipality issued a sudden notice demanding that homeowners and businesses with unapproved precast walls pay fines ranging from $150 to $200.
The move has been widely condemned as a blatant attempt to generate revenue, with many accusing the council of prioritizing profits over the welfare of its constituents, leading to growing mistrust among residents.
In an interview with Afrogazette news, Alice Kuvheya, director of Chitungwiza Residents Trust lambasted the council’s priorities saying councillors have grown a culture of fleecing residents off their hard earned salaries without yielding positive results.
“The council doesn’t know where their priorities are, now they’re prioritizing on durawalls, instead of houses.
“We have sewer flowing in our houses for months, which is not attended to, and workers are not being paid,” exclaimed Kuvheya.
Kuvheya’s sentiments were echoed by Reuben Aliki, Director of the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA), who lamented the council’s lack of creativity in revenue generation.
“From a CHRA perspective, we have seen this behavior of just taking money from the poor. Local authorities are no longer creative or innovative in terms of revenue generation, but now they bank their fundraising through funding,” Aliki said.
Chitungwiza Municipality has given residents until February 28, 2025, to regularize their unapproved precast walls, waiving the US$150 penalty fee for those who comply before the deadline.
However, residents remain skeptical and angry, with many questioning the council’s motives.
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around this declaration by the municipality. How can they expect us to pay fines for something as trivial as durawalls?
“It’s just another way for them to fleece us of our hard-earned wages. I’ve lived in Chitungwiza for over 10 years, and I’ve never seen the council provide any meaningful services.
“They’re always coming up with new ways to tax us, but they never deliver on their promises. It’s like they think we’re their personal ATM machines,” one resident from Chitungwiza who identified himself as Baba Sean lamented.
Another resident, Tendai Nyoni had this to say; “Its like I am a pensioner, and I’m struggling to make ends meet. The thought of paying a fine of $200 for my durawall is just devastating. I built that wall with my own two hands, and it’s the only thing that’s keeping my family safe from the vagrants and thieves that roam our streets.
“The municipality should be focusing on providing us with basic services like water, and sanitation, instead of harassing us for every little thing. It’s like they’re trying to suck every last penny out of us.”
Meanwhile, Kuvheya said, “They never consulted us; we only woke up to a social media notice. It’s to generate revenue, which doesn’t help the growth of the town but fills their pockets or takes them to hotels in the pretense of workshops,” Kuvheya added.
The controversy has raised significant questions about the integrity and accountability of local governance, with many accusing the council of abusing its power.
As Kuvheya aptly put it, “Residents are in shock; it’s the talk of the town. People who we voted turned out to be our enemies. There is no policy on such, unless if I missed it, but we have been asking for it, but no response.
“They are fighting residents instead of working with us to build Chitungwiza,” she said.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with many calling for transparency and accountability from the council.