‘Programmed to serve’: Urban planning and elite interests in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Based on an analysis of documents and interviews, the chapter recasts the role of planning vis-á-vis elite interests in urban Zimbabwe. It deploys three cases to examine the (ab)use of planning by the elite. Cautioning against hasty judgements of impropriety and vice, the chapter argues for the recognition of planning systems as being programmed to serve elite interests. This is seen as an important step towards a more realistic interpretation of how cities are governed in Africa. The chapter maintains that productive lines of enquiry are those that focus on whether and how the pro-elite ‘programme’ can be violated. The chapter concludes by arguing that only through reflective practice and the resultant insurgency can the pro-elite programme be challenged.