Governing the poor in Harare, Zimbabwe: Shifting perception and changing responses

This report reviews the issue at the heart of urban governance, namely the relationship between the urban governors in central and local government institutions and a significant portion of the community that is governed , namely the urban poor. The discussion first develops a conceptual framework that forms the basis of the subsequent analysis of urban governance, urban poverty and the urban poor. The review then moves on to a general presentation of official perceptions and the treatment of the urban poor. It reviews those perceptions of the poor in urban areas as resourceful and helpless as well as those perceptions of them as a nuisance an asset and a liability. The discourse then focuses on Zimbabwe before presenting a detailed analysis of the case of Harare. The paper presents the official perceptions by using evidence from the city. It also presents an analysis of official response arising from such perceptions and of the reactions of the poor to such responses. From this analysis, the argument is developed that urban governance in Harare is unpredictable, volatile and fluid. This conclusion exposes the distortions in the system of governance and argues that the style of governance results in both the poor and the governors being on the defensive. The discussion concludes by calling for the system to be opened up to a accommodate the poor as partners.