High-rise residential buildings to save agricultural land

By Elvis Dumba

Nyabira – President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration’s quest to leave no place or anyone behind has seen it embarking on an ambitious provision of housing to the public through various partnerships with an emphasis on building high-rise buildings to save agricultural land.

With a target of clearing a housing needs backlog through the supply of 220 000 by 2025, the government and its agencies have partnered private players in the provision of houses.

National Housing and Social Amenities Minister, Hon Daniel Garwe, said the government will invest in residential high-rise buildings across the country.

“We have new building technologies that allow us to build high-rise residential buildings which you will notice in the next few months across the country as we want to put attention on the issue of densification,” he said.

In an interview during the tour of Leengate’s Penrose high-density residential development in Nyabira, Minister Garwe said high-rise buildings will help in saving land for other purposes such as agriculture.

“We have said that at least 40% of developable land should be considered on the issue of densification so the government is leading in the construction of high-rise residential blocks or flats so we save on land, otherwise, we will have land full of buildings and no place to grow our food,” he said.

Hon Garwe said through agencies like the National Building Society, National Social Security Authority, and other private players they are targeting low-income and middle-income earners to access and own affordable houses by 2030.