THOUSANDS of residents of Turner Farm in Mt Hampden are facing displacement to pave way for the development of the new multi-million-dollar Zim Cyber City project, 26 kilometers northwest of Harare, investigations have revealed. The cyber city, estimated to cost around US$60 billion when complete, will be part of Zimbabwe’s proposed new administrative capital, also known as New Harare. As a precursor to the evictions, the government exhumed about 1 000 graves between June and August, to pave way for the project.
The cyber city is being developed by United Arab Emirates-based industrial conglomerate Mulk International, which has injected an initial US$500 million. It will consist of 250 townhouses, more than 80 luxury villas, a number of apartment blocks, high-tech office facilities, a 15-storey commercial tower, and landscaped gardens, covering 2.5 million square meters of land.
The construction will take place near the new parliament building whose construction was funded by the Chinese government. The development of the cyber city has, however, left the community in panic and fear as they are facing eviction, relocation uncertainty and job losses. In March this year, the Local Government ministry issued a notice giving Mt Hampden residents three months to prepare for the exhumation of graves.
“In terms of Section 38 (4b) (5) of the Cemeteries Act (Chapter 5:4), the Minister of Local Government and Public Works hereby gives notice of intention to remove human remains, me.