Harare, Zimbabwe – In the pre-dawn hours of Friday, August 14, residents of St Martins Extension, a suburb of Harare, were awoken by the thunder of bulldozers and the shouts of municipal police. Earth-moving vehicles began demolishing homes, leaving families who believed they had legally acquired their land homeless.

Methro Masunga, 28, a single mother of three, described the shock of realizing her home was slated for destruction. She had spent five years working part-time jobs, saving diligently to purchase a residential stand. Masunga stated she began payments in 2015, received an allocation in 2019, and formalized the arrangement with the city council in 2020, receiving official documents.

Masunga's situation is emblematic of a broader land allocation dispute in Harare. Many residents assert they purchased stands through council-linked processes and invested their life savings into building houses. However, the municipality contends it is enforcing planning regulations against structures built without necessary approvals or on land not designated for housing.

While the total number of displaced individuals across Harare in 2026 remains unconfirmed, city council records obtained by Al Jazeera indicate over 5,000 houses are subject to demolition orders under 37 outstanding High Court judgments. These figures pertain to properties targeted in a wider program, distinct from those already destroyed.

Authorities maintain the demolitions are necessary to address illegal construction, disputed land sales, and development on sites reserved for public infrastructure. They claim these actions are crucial for urban planning and preventing the proliferation of informal settlements.

Residents, however, express bewilderment and distress, particularly citing a previous court order that they believed halted demolitions. Memory Chengeta, whose home in St Martins was also demolished, stated that municipal authorities proceeded without presenting a new court order to override the prior judgment.

This conflict highlights deep-seated issues surrounding land tenure and urban development in Zimbabwe's capital. The evictions have plunged families into precarious living situations, with many forced to seek temporary shelter among the ruins of their former homes, facing an uncertain future.

The long-term implications for Harare's urban planning and the plight of its residents remain a significant concern, with questions about accountability, due process, and the provision of adequate housing solutions for those affected by these widespread demolitions.