Editing Harare (section)

=== Economic difficulties and hyperinflation (1999–2008) ===
In the early 21st century, Harare was adversely affected by the political and economic crises that plagued Zimbabwe, particularly following the contested 2002 presidential election and 2005 parliamentary elections. The elected council was replaced by a government-appointed commission due to alleged inefficiency.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}} Still, essential services such as rubbish collection and street repairs rapidly worsened, and are now virtually non-existent in poorer parts of the city.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}} In May 2006, the Zimbabwean newspaper ''[[Financial Gazette]]'' described the city in an editorial as a "sunshine city-turned-sewage farm".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/may19_2006.html#Z13|title=The Zimbabwe Situation|last=kdc|publisher=zimbabwesituation.com}}</ref> In 2009, Harare was voted the world's toughest city to live in according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's livability poll, which factors in stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://calgaryherald.com/Vancouver+world+easiest+city+live+Harare+worst+Poll/1674901/story.html|title=Vancouver world's most livable city, Harare the worst: Poll |first=Kelly|last=Sinoski |agency=The Vancouver Sun|work=Calgary Herald |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611165337/https://calgaryherald.com/Vancouver+world+easiest+city+live+Harare+worst+Poll/1674901/story.html |archive-date=11 June 2009 |access-date=8 June 2009}}</ref> The situation was unchanged in 2011, according to the same poll.<ref>{{cite news    |title=Least livable cities |url=https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/least-livable-cities?articleId=USRTR2IWU9 |publisher=Reuters |date=21 February 2011 |access-date=19 August 2016}}</ref>

==== Operation Murambatsvina ====
In May 2005, the Zimbabwean government demolished shanties, illegal vending sites, and backyard cottages in Harare, Epworth and other cities in [[Operation Murambatsvina]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Zimbabwe|title=Zimbabwe – Rhodesia and the UDI|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|date=3 January 2024 }}</ref> ("Drive Out Trash"). It was widely alleged{{Weasel inline|date=August 2018}} that the true purpose of the campaign was to make sure shanty towns would not develop in any urban areas that might favor the [[Movement for Democratic Change (pre-2005)|Movement for Democratic Change]], and to reduce the likelihood of mass action against the government by driving people out of the cities.{{Citation needed|date=August 2018}} The government claimed its actions were necessitated by a rise of criminality and disease.{{Citation needed|date=August 2018}} This was followed by [[Operation Garikayi/Hlalani Kuhle]] (Operation "Better Living") a year later, which consisted of building poor-quality concrete housing.{{Citation needed|date=August 2018}}