Empowering African Cities: Practical Steps for Transformation

Davison Muchadenyika, author of The Making of an African City, concludes his discussion by outlining key considerations for transforming African cities like Harare.

He emphasises that city transformation depends on the actions of residents and administrations, driven by proactive measures and financing despite limited resources.

He advocates for an incremental approach to urban development, given the constrained budgets of African cities.

For instance, Harare's annual revenue from 2012 to 2017 was approximately $262-272 million, while Lusaka's revenue and government transfers from 2020 to 2024 did not exceed $30 million, with development expenditure rarely surpassing 10%.

Muchadenyika stresses that African urban residents must take responsibility for their cities' futures, leveraging small-scale actions and limited resources to drive meaningful change.