According to a UN report Operation Murambatsvina (“drive out trash”) cost some 700,000 Zimbabweans their homes or livelihoods or both and otherwise affected nearly a fifth of the troubled country's population. Its impact produced a political shock that has returned Zimbabwe to the international spotlight.

Malvern Muhulanga: “ In 2005 I was living in Kuwanzana 5 suburbs in Harare. This is where I am now as well. My conditions then were better because I was paying some money to city council for electricity and water. As you can see, here is no water and electricity nor toilets, we have to fetch water from near suburbs. More victims of Murambatsvina like me, decided to go back to our old ‘neighborhoud.’ Right now there are about 20 families living here like this. I have one child, a 2 year old daughter. Right after I found myself homeless I went to the near suburbs to rent, but then I as chased away in 2008 for failing to pay rent. After that I decided to go back to that same open area to built this ‘make shift’. This house is some 20km away from Harare City Centre. That is the place where I work  as a security guard.