HARARE – Zimbabwean authorities ordered the opposition-controlled Harare City Council to stop destroying homes in the city’s Belvedere suburb to avoid negative attention when spotlight falls on the country during the SADC extraordinary summit this week.

Local Government and Public Works Daniel Garwe minister inadvertently exposed the real reason behind the order during his ministry’s strategic workshop for 2025 in Bulawayo on Thursday.

He accused the opposition CCC-led local authority of timing the demolitions for the SADC summit to be attended by reginal leaders.

“We are all aware of what has been happening in Harare and Karoi were the two councils went on a demolition drive knowing fully well that starting this weekend, we have visitors.

“There are about seven heads of states coming to Victoria Falls for the World Children’s Day commemorations, followed by the SADC Troika and they decided to demolish people’s homes.

“They waited for six months for people to build those houses for them to realise that the houses were illegally built. So, we put a stop to that,” he told officials.

As current chairperson of the regional bloc, President Emmerson Mnangagwa called for the summit to tackle the regional crises in Mozambique after violence flared up following disputed polls recently.

In his comments, Garwe, a Zanu PF top official, said councils must follow the law before carrying demolitions on people’s homes.

“We are not promoting illegal settlements but we are saying there are certain process and procedures that must be followed by authorities before demolishing people’s homes,” said the minister.

“If you are to give notice period give them adequate notice period you, cannot give a person to say in five days, I will come and demolish.

“It is inhumane, it is not acceptable and as central government, we have said no to demolitions.”

Garwe said he was not however encouraging home seekers to illegally settle themselves in open spaces.

“The law will eventually visit you. Let us not take the law and put it in our pockets.

“Let us respect the laws and let us enforce the laws as Ministry responsibly for urban state land.

“Let us talk to our local authorities and encourage them to do that which is right, something which we will be proud of when you leave the ministry,” he said.