The Different Faces of Harare

Harare has more than one face.A venture I have recently been involved in takes me to different parts of Harare; the leafy Northern suburbs of Mount Pleasant, Mandara and Borrowdale.

The Different Faces Of Harare

What I saw there was an eye-opener.The life and atmosphere in the Town of Chitungwiza where I live is a far cry from the suburbs mentioned above.The difference is so enormous one would be forgiven for thinking one was in a foreign country.Whilst there might be some pot-holes in line with the general decline in the economic climate prevailing in the country,on the whole streets in the Northern suburbs are better maintained.One can see the effort being made to keep up appearances.The motor vehicles are sleeker and well maintained.

Sam Levy's Village is like a fairy tale poster for a Christmas card.The shops are beautiful,full of various types of merchandise,one can easily see that the clientele being catered for is affluent.Most shops are air-conditioned in contrast to the shops on the other side of the economic divide.Living in the high density areas one can be led into a false belief that whites have left the country en mass,but they are there.One just has to go to places like Sam Levy's Village to see the proof.

It is politically correct right now to regard this country as belonging to black people.The venture we are involved in to a large extend depends on people with extra cash and the leafy affluent suburbs is where the money is.

Just the outside appearance as well as the size of the residential stands attest to the wealth of the people who live here.Surely if people in the people in the high density suburbs took pride in their surroundings and stopped wining and whinging about their situation being difficult, a lot could change in these areas.