Glen View 8 Complex Rebuild Set For September After Mnangagwa Declares National Disaster
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared the recent blaze that gutted the Glen View Area 8 complex in Harare a national disaster — a move that paves the way for urgent government intervention. The fire destroyed property worth over US$100,000 and marked the 10th such incident at the marketplace since 2015.
Glen View Area 8 Home Industry Complex Rebuild Set For September
Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe confirmed the declaration on Monday and said officials were now working with affected vendors and various ministries to coordinate relief efforts.
He explained that the declaration activated the Civil Protection Department, which will now step in to mobilise resources and help the traders who lost their goods and stalls.
Garwe said the government is compiling a list of affected individuals in collaboration with the City of Harare and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. The goal is to provide targeted support to help them recover.
“Once the President has declared a state of disaster the department of Civil Protection under the Ministry of Local Government will move in and mobilise resources and assist those that have been affected, we are now working with the City of Harare, Ministry of Women Affairs and the affected traders so that we have a comprehensive list of those that were affected so that we come up with a way of assisting them,” he said.
Looking ahead, Garwe said work to rebuild the complex will begin in September, to complete it before Independence Day next year.
He hinted at major changes, saying the revamped complex would no longer be one large structure. Instead, it will feature separate shops, proper road access, electricity, and water and sewer systems — a long-overdue upgrade to a hub that had become notorious for repeated fires and overcrowding.
“We are hoping that before Indepence (April 18) next year, beginnning of March or beginning of April we will be able to invite the President to come and commission a transformed Glew View area 8 with properly laid out areas with different shops because we cant have one roof covering over 5 hectares so we want to have different shops, a road network, electricity, water and sewer reticlutaionn properly done.”
Also read: Construction Begins on Multi-Storey New Mbare Musika Main Market Set to House 10,000 Traders
Negligence Suspected in Fire Outbreak
Early findings point to negligence as the likely cause of the fire. According to Harare councillor and SMEs Committee Chairperson Denford Ngadziore, the blaze may have started after security guards lit a fire to keep warm near flammable materials.
Given the recurring nature of these incidents, the suggestion that the latest fire was preventable is likely to anger many affected traders.
Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Monica Mutsvangwa also visited the site on Monday and stressed the importance of working together.
She said government ministries, the City of Harare, and other agencies were forming a joint committee to assess the damage and plan long-term solutions.
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