Gwelo peri-urban take over, Government decides on incorporation
PERI-URBAN areas to the north, north-east and east of Gwelo were incorporated into the Gwelo Municipality yesterday morning despite a running battle by residents of the areas to defeat incorporation.
A statement from the Ministry of Local Government and Housing said yesterday that a decision on the incorporation of the peri-urban areas of Umtali and Fort Victoria “can be expected within some weeks”.
Notices defining the new boundaries of the expanded Gwelo municipal area and the terms and conditions applicable to the incorporated areas will appear in a Government Gazette today, said the statement.
Negotiations regarding peri-urban incorporation “have also reached an advanced stage in the Que Que area, where the Que Que Council has recommended a basis of incorporation for discussion”.
Residents in Gwelo’s peri-urban have been fighting against incorporation since September 1967, when they formed three associations and a co-ordinating committee covering all the peri-urban areas.
In October last year the Minister of Local Government and Housing, Mr. Mark Partridge, told Gwelo peri-urban residents that they would be incorporated into the municipality whether they liked it or not.
The National Council of Peri-Urban Associations hit back in November by saying that although it accepted the principle of incorporation with certain conditions of implementation it would now “oppose him by all means at its disposal”.
The statement said: “It is Government policy, wherever there is a common urban settlement to treat it as a whole.”
Only by ensuring co-ordinated planning and development could the best use be made of private and public capital resources - “thus endeavouring to reach optimum economy of living”, said the statement.
“A plethora of authorities is inimical to orderly development, causing indecision, delay and controversy.
“The phasing of development under a unified plan, with unified control of the implementation of that plan, is the best practical means of maintaining and improving property values and ensuring speedy development,” the statement continued.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
◆ Urban areas will continue to expand outward due to an increase in population and this will mean the incorporation of peri-urban areas into the boundaries of cities. ◆ Areas such as Domboshava are slowly being incorporated into the greater Harare area likewise areas such as Seke in Chitungwiza are also increasing becoming a part of the town.
◆ The outward expansion of urban areas however needs to be done properly and above the law. It is also important to engage communities in such areas on the proposed expansion so that there is a win-win situation to avoid clashes.
◆ There is also need for co-ordinated planning in the peri-urban areas to ensure that the standards set in the urban areas are maintained. Often than not, most people in these areas carry out development without due regard of by-laws or conditions set by the urban council resulting in the mushrooming of unplanned settlement that make it impossible for the local authorities to deliver service or to maintain its standards. ◆ The outward expansion of urban areas can be positive thing as it can foster development in most of the outlying areas but this can only be achieved if it is done above board.