CHIPINGE – More than 100 structures have been reduced to rubble and over 1,000 households now face eviction in Chipinge, where a council-led demolition exercise has escalated into a full-blown humanitarian crisis, with families left homeless, schools destroyed and children’s futures hanging in the balance.

The demolitions, carried out Wednesday by Chipinge Rural District Council under the government’s Operation Chenesa/Hlanzeka, have displaced scores of families and placed entire communities under threat of displacement in what human rights defenders warn could become one of Zimbabwe’s largest displacement crises in recent years.

The operation has also exposed a stark contradiction between Local Government and Public Works Minister, Daniel Garwe’s public assurances that the clean-up campaign was never intended to destroy homes and livelihoods. However, the reality on the ground in Chipinge has seen bulldozers flattening residences, tuckshops, boundary walls and learning facilities.

Council authorities defend the demolitions as enforcement of the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act, arguing the structures were illegally built on planned land. But affected residents, civil society organisations and community leaders have condemned the exercise as inhumane and unconstitutional, pointing to the devastating scale of displacement and the vulnerability of those affected.

On Wednesday, demolition teams moved into settlements in a ward represented by Councillor Singatini Humbe, destroying more than 100 structures as residents watched helplessly. Families were seen salvaging roofing sheets, doors, windows and household belongings from the debris, while others stood in disbelief as years of investment vanished within hours.

Residents say they settled on the land after receiving allocations from Village Head Munyokowere and invested their life savings in building homes and businesses.

“We built our homes after being allocated land by local leadership. We invested everything we had. Now we have nowhere to go,” said one affected resident.

What began as a land occupation dispute has now become a humanitarian emergency, with hundreds of families facing homelessness and uncertainty. While more than 100 structures have already been demolished, hundreds more remain under threat, with community leaders estimating that over 1,000 families have received notices to vacate or regularise their structures.

The exercise has disproportionately affected vulnerable groups. Community representatives estimate that approximately 80 of the affected households are female-headed families caring for children and elderly dependants, many with limited resources and no alternative accommodation.

Human rights advocates warn that women and children now face heightened risks of homelessness, hunger, disease, exploitation and insecurity. Children have reportedly witnessed the destruction of their homes and communities, creating trauma and uncertainty about their future.

Several schools and learning facilities within the affected settlements have reportedly been destroyed or disrupted, with parents fearing that many learners may miss classes, examinations and critical learning opportunities. Education campaigners have described the destruction of schools as a serious setback to children’s development and a threat to their right to education.

Legal experts argue the demolitions raise serious constitutional questions. They cite Section 51 (right to human dignity), Section 68 (lawful, reasonable and procedurally fair administrative conduct) and Section 74, which protects people from arbitrary eviction and prohibits the demolition of homes without a court order made after considering all relevant circumstances.

The destruction of homes and schools has further raised concerns under Section 75 (right to education), Section 81 (best interests of children paramount) and Section 28, which obligates the State to take reasonable measures to enable everyone to access adequate shelter.

Activists also point to Zimbabwe’s obligations under international instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has repeatedly stated that evictions should only occur as a last resort and must be accompanied by consultation, due process and measures to prevent homelessness.

Residents insist they relied on traditional leadership structures when deciding to settle and build, and community leaders are questioning how settlements were allowed to grow over time without decisive intervention from planning authorities, only for residents to face large-scale demolitions years later.

“There must be accountability at every level. Poor families should not be the only ones paying the price for governance failures,” said a local community leader.

The developments have also raised questions about the Ministry of Local Government’s responsibility to ensure local authorities implement policies in line with Garwe’s stated position on protecting people’s homes. If Operation Chenesa is not intended to destroy residential properties, residents want to know what measures are being taken to prevent local authorities from carrying out demolitions that leave families homeless.

Human rights groups, churches, community organisations and concerned residents are calling upon the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Parliament, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and humanitarian agencies to urgently intervene, demanding an immediate suspension of further demolitions pending meaningful dialogue, legal review and humane solutions.

As families sift through piles of broken bricks and twisted metal searching for their belongings, uncertainty hangs over communities fearing they may be next.

For hundreds of residents, the demolitions are not merely about planning regulations, they are about the loss of homes, livelihoods, educational opportunities and the dignity of some of Chipinge’s most vulnerable citizens.

With a High Court challenge now looming, the fate of more than 1,000 families may ultimately rest on whether the courts find that the enforcement of planning laws has been balanced against the constitutional and human rights obligations owed to every citizen.

Efforts to get comments from Chipinge RDC officials hit a snag.