An upmarket Harare restaurant is operating illegally and will be closed, the local authority has warned.
BY RICHARD CHIDZA
Harare Council spokesperson Michael Chideme on Friday said Casa Mia had not sought approval to convert the residential property in Avondale into commercial use.
“They are operating an illegal restaurant in a residential area. They did not seek council approval for that. We are going to shut it down,” Chideme said.
Sometime last year, a resident Kelvin Kowo represented by lawyer Steven Rugwaro of Rugwaro and Associates, went to court to seek an injunction and have Casa Mia closed, arguing it was operating illegally and had “become a nuisance to the community”.
The businessman cited the owners of the restaurant Vifra Enterprises — operating as Casa Mia restaurant — situated along King George Road along with Harare’s director of health and works responsible for building inspections, the liquor licencing board as well as the police licencing inspectorate as respondents.
Kowo said he took the initiative to investigate the circumstances surrounding the setting up of the night spot after his neighbours professed ignorance about its legality.
He claimed to have unearthed a restaurant liquor licence and a health registration certificate issued by the Liquor Licencing board and the city’s health department.
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Kowo has since received support from Harare City Council which on November 23 wrote to Casa Mia ordering the restaurant to cease operations and demolish the gazebo constructed at the house.
In the letter titled ‘unauthorised erection of gazebo and use of residential property for commercial purposes’, council’s director of works gave Casa Mia until December 20 2015 to close shop.
However, Patrick Olivier who identified himself as the manager of the restaurant said council had been misinformed and claimed there was a hidden hand trying to sabotage the business.
“We received the letter, but council and even the lawyers were ill-advised,” he said.
“We explained everything and are working towards regularising our operations.
“We have a problem that is bigger than just residents or a resident complaining. There are bigger people involved,’ Olivier said.. But Chideme warned council would soon move in to deal with the issue despite the delay.
“The notice is standard practice but it does not mean we are ignoring things. We will move in and deal with that illegal business once and for all,” he said.
