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Yeukai Karengezeka Herald Correspondent
The City of Harare has resolved to incorporate input from other local authorities in its new master plan, which is expected to see the capital becoming a world class city by 2025, an official said on Tuesday.

The master plan will help city officials restore order and deal with challenges such as traffic congestion, mass public transport, rural-to-urban migration, poor service provision and rapid population growth.

Speaking during a stakeholders meeting on the master plan, Harare town planner Mrs Priscilla Charumbira said it was crucial to involve surrounding local authorities in coming up with the study boundary.

The local authorities to be incorporated are Chitungwiza, Zvimba, Goromonzi, Ruwa, Manyame, Epworth, Norton, Beatrice, Mazowe, Marondera and Bindura.

“We need to have all the local authorities surrounding us on board to assist in the studies because these areas have an impact on Harare in terms of migration and even movement of traffic,” said Mrs Charumbira.

“For instance, we have areas that are under Zvimba, yet those areas are close to Harare.

“The researches that we are going to do will assist us to come up with data that will help us put the vision out there and come up with best proposals for the new city we want.”

Mrs Charumbira said they expected to have completed the study processes by April and the master plan by December this year.

“We came up with questionnaires which we will give out to various industries, residents, businesses, ministries and get their expectations on the master plan, but first we wanted to consult our stakeholders who have also made their contributions,” she said.

“We expect to have completed the study process by end of April and come up with a report of study that will lead to the proposals.

“Then the actual master plan will be done by December, if things go according to plan.”

Deputy director in the Physical Planning Department under the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Mrs Diana Chimhanda urged the city officials to come up with objective surveys.

“As a ministry, we expect you to be inclusive on the questionnaires and surveys and get responses from residents, businesses, industries among other stakeholders,” she said.

“The surveys should be objective. We also expect the city to have enough resources for the project to avoid encountering delays so that the data captured remains relevant within the stipulated time-frame.”