Online Reporter
SOMETIME in the early 1980s, two American criminologists, James Wilson and George Kelling, conceptualised the compelling “broken windows theory”, which essentially claims that visible signs of crime and disorder in an urban environment were likely to lead to even more crime and disorder.
In other words, signs of disorder, such as broken windows, graffiti on walls and other general signs of decay, were not only signs of chaos, crime and disorder, but would most often than not invite and attract more of the same to the same environment.
While there are those who have disputed such claims, general observations in the decades after it was conceptualised seemingly give credence to the theory.
One does not have to look any further than Harare, where signs of decay are more than visible, from the decrepit buildings downtown that have even been condemned by the City of Harare, the previously tarred roads that are morphing into dusty dirt roads, the collapsed termini in and around the city and mounds of rotting, uncollected garbage, among others.
And the self-perpetuating cycle of decay continues.
Illegal vendors, who are notorious for littering, have now taken over pavements and the cityscape.
Most worryingly, we seem to have reconciled ourselves with this sad state of affairs to such an extent that nothing moves us anymore, and this might probably be because we are now
used, or inured, to what Harare has become.
In a way, these are the telltale signs of the broken windows theory.
Typically, in a clean environment, even the most stubborn of litterbugs would hesitate to throw away litter in anything other than a bin.
But this is not who we are, which is a message that has been delivered by Central Government in the many instances that it has intervened to assist Harare City Council to deliver on its mandate.
To stop the brain drain in local council clinics, for example, the Government had to put health workers from Harare and Chitungwiza on its payroll in 2021.
Time and again, it has also given the local authority a helping hand in rehabilitating its water infrastructure to ensure provision of services to residents.
Such examples are too numerous to mention.
But the latest effort, which culminated in a deal last week between the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Harare City Council, Hangzhou Laison Technology Company and Helcraw Electrical for a new water treatment plant and smart meters, represent Government’s untiring resolve and determination to modernise the capital and ensure world-class services.
By privatising Harare water, the Government is trying to leverage on the expertise and capacity of the private sector.
Viewed differently, the deal seems to be an admission by the city fathers that the local authority, as currently configured, is incapable of competently dealing with the many crises that plague the capital.
Mayor Jacob Mafume admitted as much last week.
“A capital city cannot be built by the city alone; it requires the support of Central Government and the private sector,” he said.
“Cities we admire, like Kigali and New Cairo, were built through collaboration between municipalities and central governments. We see no contradiction in working together to align with citizens’ needs.”
But the problems at the City of Harare, which have been festering for the past 25 years (in fact, ever since inexperienced opposition councillors began running the affairs of the city), run deeper.
We, however, need to act before the cancer that afflicts the city metastasise into an incurable disease.
The findings of the Justice Maphios Cheda commission of inquiry into the governance of the City of Harare, whose term was extended to end of next month, should be the ideal starting point.
However, nothing short of an overhaul of Harare City Council will suffice.
It is rotten to the core.
The calibre of its councillors, the systems and culture, work ethic and priorities, among many other ills, are incompatible with the drive towards a world-class city.
Our modernisation drive, as espoused by Vision 2030, entail establishing a smart city that offers top-notch services.
So, it is high time that the countrywide revolution to develop our cities also visits our towns and cities, and more so, the capital, Harare.
