Chitungwiza Municipality has exhausted its available land for residential, recreational, and industrial development, and is now considering acquiring six farms located in the Nyatsime area to facilitate future expansion

This was said by master plan lead planner, Wycliff Mutambanengwe, during master plan engagement meetings with Chitungwiza residents. He said (via NewsDay):

The population boom in the town brought by development led to a shortage of land in Chitungwiza. For development, we need to consider six farms across Nyatsime as part of our master plan.

Chitungwiza is widely regarded as one of the Zimbabwean towns that has been most severely impacted by the predatory activities of land barons, leading to the loss of substantial tracts of land.

Former Ward 3 ZANU PF councillor John Matiyenga said there was a need for the local authority to develop outside the Chitungwiza boundary. He said:

We no longer have land for development here in Chitungwiza and we support the idea of expanding into Manyame Rural District Council.

Mutambanengwe said the master plan would be valid until 2034.

In November 2023, President Emmerson Mnangagwa directed all 92 of the country’s councils to develop master plans by June 30, 2024, to curb the growth of haphazard settlements.

A city master plan, also known as a comprehensive plan or general plan, is a long-term strategic document that outlines the vision, goals, and policies for the future development and growth of a city or municipality over a 10-20-year time horizon.

The main components of a city master plan typically include a land use plan, transportation plan, housing plan, economic development plan, environmental and sustainability plan, and community facilities and services plan, among others.

More: Pindula News