Hotspots rise where roads lead

73

Leonita Mhishi

THERE is a quiet but unmistak­able shift happening on the edges of Harare. It is not announced in headlines or marked by ribbon-cut­ting ceremonies alone. It is measured in dusty roads suddenly becoming tarred, in surveyor pegs creeping across once-forgotten land, and in the steady hum of speculation among Zimbabwe­ans asking a familiar question: “Where is the next hotspot?”

If history is anything to go by, the an­swer is rarely random. Property hotspots do not emerge by accident; they are built — quite literally — by infrastructure.

Nowhere illustrates this more vividly than Mount Hampden, the once-sleepy rural outpost that has, in just a few years, transformed into one of Zimbabwe’s most closely watched real estate fron­tiers. At the centre of this transformation stands the New Parliament Building, a US$200 million complex completed in 2022 that has redefined not just the skyline, but the economic geography of Harare.

For decades, Harare’s property mar­ket revolved around a predictable axis — Borrowdale, Mount Pleasant, Avon­dale, and the Central Business District. These were the established nodes of value, built on colonial-era planning and reinforced by post-independence urban expansion. But cities evolve, and in Zimbabwe’s case, that evolution is in­creasingly being dictated by where gov­ernment and infrastructure choose to go.

The relocation of Parliament to Mount Hampden is more than a sym­bolic shift. It is a signal — a powerful one — that the centre of gravity is mov­ing. The government has already laid out plans to turn the area into a “New City,” anchored by the Parliament complex and supported by future developments such as courts, government ministries, and commercial hubs.

And where government goes, invest­ment follows.

Real estate developers, both formal and informal, have been quick to read the signs. Land that once attracted little interest is now being subdivided, mar­keted, and sold at prices that would have seemed implausible a decade ago. The logic is simple: proximity to infrastruc­ture equals future value.

But this is not a uniquely Zimba­bwean phenomenon. Across the world, infrastructure has always been the in­visible hand shaping property markets. Build a highway, and land values along its corridor rise. Construct a railway, and previously marginal areas become accessible, and therefore desirable. Es­tablish administrative centres, and entire cities can be born.

Mount Hampden fits squarely into this pattern. The new Parliament build­ing sits about 25 kilometres northwest of Harare, in an area that offers something the capital has increasingly run out of — space. Unlike the congested inner sub­urbs, Mount Hampden presents a blank canvas, free from the constraints of ag­ing infrastructure and overcrowding. It is, in many ways, the future Harare has been waiting for.

Yet, infrastructure is not just about buildings. It is about connectivity. Roads linking Mount Hampden to the city cen­tre, utilities being extended into the area, and planned commercial developments are all part of a broader ecosystem that turns land into opportunity.

Already, reports suggest that the presence of Parliament is expected to trigger a wave of ancillary developments — banks, residential estates, shopping centres, and even universities. This is how hotspots are created: not by a single project, but by a network of investments that reinforce each other.

The implications for Zimbabweans are profound. For the young profession­al looking to buy their first stand, the question is no longer just about afford­ability — it is about foresight. Buying in an area before infrastructure arrives can mean securing value at a fraction of fu­ture prices. But it also carries risks, par­ticularly in a market where promises of development do not always materialise as planned.

For investors, the calculus is equally complex. Infrastructure-led growth can deliver significant returns, but it requires patience. Unlike speculative bubbles driven by hype, infrastructure-driven ap­preciation tends to be gradual, tied to the pace at which roads are built, services are installed, and institutions relocate.

And for policymakers, the stakes are even higher.

The success of Mount Hampden as a property hotspot will depend not just on the presence of Parliament, but on the government’s ability to follow through on its broader vision. Plans for a smart city, spanning thousands of hectares, promise to address Harare’s chronic shortage of development space and ac­commodate a growing population. But plans, as Zimbabweans know too well, are only as good as their execution.

There is also a deeper question at play: who benefits from these new hotspots?

One of the recurring criticisms of infrastructure-led development is that it can exacerbate inequality. As land values rise, early investors reap the rewards, while ordinary citizens are priced out. In Zimbabwe, where access to finance remains limited, and the property market is often dominated by cash transactions, this risk is particularly acute.

Already, anecdotal evidence suggests that land around Mount Hampden is be­ing snapped up by those with the means to speculate, including diaspora inves­tors and well-capitalised developers. For many Harare residents, the dream of owning property in the next big hotspot may remain just that — a dream.

Yet, it would be a mistake to view this transformation purely through a lens of exclusion. Infrastructure also creates opportunities — jobs in construction, de­mand for services, and the potential for new businesses to emerge. If managed inclusively, the rise of Mount Hampden could contribute to broader economic growth.

The challenge lies in ensuring that this growth is not confined to a select few.

There are lessons to be learned from other parts of Harare. The expansion of areas like Westgate and Borrowdale West was similarly driven by infrastruc­ture — shopping centres, road networks, and utilities. Over time, these areas transitioned from peripheral suburbs to established commercial and residen­tial hubs. Mount Hampden is, in many ways, following the same script, but on a larger scale.

What makes this moment different is the ambition. The vision of a new ad­ministrative capital, complete with mod­ern infrastructure and smart city features, represents a bold attempt to reimagine Zimbabwe’s urban landscape. It is a rec­ognition that the old model of incremen­tal expansion is no longer sufficient.

But ambition must be matched by de­livery. Without reliable water, electricity, and transport systems, even the most im­pressive buildings risk becoming isolat­ed monuments rather than catalysts for growth. The success of Mount Hamp­den will ultimately depend on whether the supporting infrastructure keeps pace with the vision.

For now, the signs are promising. The mere presence of Parliament has already begun to reshape perceptions, turning what was once considered “too far” into “the place to watch.” Land agents speak of increased inquiries, developers of ris­ing demand, and investors of opportuni­ties that did not exist a few years ago.

This is how hotspots are born — not overnight, but through a gradual shift in how people see a place.

And perhaps that is the most import­ant lesson for Zimbabweans navigating the property market today. The next Bor­rowdale or Mount Pleasant is unlikely to emerge in the places we already know. It will be found on the edges, where in­frastructure is pushing the boundaries of the city outward. Mount Hampden is the clearest example, but it will not be the last.

As Zimbabwe continues to invest in roads, energy, and urban development, new hotspots will inevitably emerge. The question is not whether they will appear, but where — and who will be ready to seize the opportunity when they do.

In the end, property is not just about bricks and mortar. It is about movement — of people, of capital, and of ideas. Infrastructure is the engine that drives that movement, turning empty land into thriving communities.

And in Harare today, that engine is pointing firmly west.

Mhishi is the principal registered estate agent at House of Stone Prop­erties and can be reached at +263 772 329 569 or via email at leonita@hsp. co.zw or www.hsp.co.zw