Housing Provision and Land Management in Mutare City: The Case of the Weirmouth Farm

Abstract

The study assesses urban resilience in Zimbabwe through the lens of housing provision and land management. Weirmouth Farm in the City of Mutare is used as a case study to situate the urban resilience in the perspective of housing provision and land management. We argue that urban resilience in Mutare is compromised by the mountainous terrain of the region, which restricts urban growth and expansion in light of the rapid urbanisation that the city is currently experiencing. Adopting a mixed-method research design that inclines more towards a qualitative approach, data has been collected through document review that was validated with key informant interviews and household survey. Emerging from the study is that an increase in population has resulted in theurban sprawl. Furthermore, the geological terrain has hindered service provision. The housing model mainly targets low-income earners affecting the quality of houses in the area. Therefore, the study concluded that financial constraints and geological terrain are the major impediments to sustainable smart growth of Mutare City. With population increase and subsequent housing demand coupled with limited land for expansion. The study recommends the need for Public-Private Partnerships.