…warns against fringe agendas as city fights ghost town image

By Chipo Gudhe

Kwekwe City Council has declared war on land speculators and individuals with what it termed “fringeless agendas,” warning that the local authority will not allow actions that derail the city’s fragile recovery from years of urban decay.

Speaking on Monday during a tour of developmental projects by the Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Owen Ncube, Kwekwe Mayor Albert Zinhanga said the city was open for genuine investors but would no longer tolerate people who buy land and sit on it for speculative purposes.

“We are welcoming all investors who are here to develop the city of Kwekwe. But we do not want people who come to buy land for speculation those who buy land and then keep it without developing,” said Zinhanga.

In a decisive move aimed at accelerating development, the mayor revealed that council has amended its land sale agreements, introducing a strict six-month development clause. Under the new conditions, beneficiaries of council land are required to commence construction within six months.

“That is the only way of having the Kwekwe that we want,” Zinhanga said, stressing that the city’s leadership was determined to turn plans into visible progress.

The remarks come against the backdrop of Kwekwe’s long-standing “ghost city” syndrome, most visible along Emmerson Mnangagwa Way former RG Mugabe Way, the city’s busiest artery and a major route for inter-city travellers. Over the years, the closure of key buildings along the street, including the once-iconic Shamwari Hotel, has left a trail of shuttered properties and a bleak first impression for visitors.

For many residents, the deserted buildings symbolised stagnation and lost economic potential. City leaders now say that era must end.

“This is our home and we are going to develop it,” he said.

The mayor also issued a stern warning to individuals and groups seeking to destabilise council operations under the guise of personal or political interests.

“We are not going to allow people who have got fringeless agendas to destabilise the city,” he said, adding that council leadership, management and councillors were united under what he called “Team Kwekwe.”

Zinhanga told the minister that development was already visible and would only improve with time, assuring him that future visits would reveal “better and better facilities.”

With a clear vision set for the future, the mayor said Kwekwe was resolute in its ambition to rise.

“Together, united, we are resolute to make sure that by 2030, Kwekwe is going to be one of the best cities in the SADC region,” he said.