Tracing Harare's Evolution: From Colonial Roots to Modern Resilience

Davison Muchadenyika, author of The Making of an African City, discusses the historical growth of Harare, Zimbabwe, across three distinct periods: 1890-1979, 1980-1999, and 2000 onwards.

From 1890 to 1979, colonial investments in infrastructure spurred economic growth, but racial segregation shaped urban planning, concentrating development in European areas.

Post-independence (1980-1999), infrastructure expanded in high-density African areas, and a unified administration replaced racially divided councils, establishing Harare as a well-planned African city with strong anti-informal settlement policies.

From 2000, economic decline and capital flight marked a shift, yet the city and its residents demonstrated resilience. Despite limited formal jobs and infrastructure, Harare's population grew, with residents and private developers financing urban planning, infrastructure, and housing, expanding the built environment.

Over 130 years, Harare transformed from a small settlement with mud-thatch houses to a city of nearly 2 million people, 300,000 residential properties, and a robust central business district, as detailed in Muchadenyika's book across 12 chapters.