Associate Professor Abraham Matamanda
Associate Professor Abraham Matamanda is the Deputy Chair in City-Region Economies and lectures in the Department of Urban & Regional Planning at the UFS. He is a NRF Y2-rated urban and regional planner. Abraham is a co-Editor of the Town and Regional Planning Journal, sits on the Advisory Board of Urban Research and Practice and serves on the editorial board of Humanities and Social Sciences Communication. He is a fellow of the third cohort of Phase I of the Future Professoriate Programme at the Department of Higher Education and Training. He has been nominated by the NRF to participate in the expert group providing the scientific research background for the 2026 Transatlantic Platform (T-AP) call. Abraham has published over 90 academic publications, including peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, books and conference proceedings. His research focuses on urban governance and planning, climate change adaptation and resilience, informal Global South urbanism, urban land markets and housing studies.
Research interests
- Urban governance and planning
- Climate change adaptation and resilience
- Informal Global South urbanism
- Urban land markets and housing studies
Selected publications
- Matamanda, A.R., Chakwizira, J., Chatiza, K., Nel, V. (eds) (2024) Secondary cities and local governance in Southern Africa. Cham: Springer Nature.
- Matamanda, A.R., Chirisa, I., Rammile, S., Marais, M. (2022) Housing and technology: Special focus on Zimbabwe. Cham: Springer Nature.
- Matamanda, A.R., Verna, N., Chirisa, I. (eds) (2021) Urban Geography in Postcolonial Zimbabwe. Cham: Springer Nature.
- Matamanda, A.R., Chirisa, I., Mazanhi, P., Toriro, P. (2025) 'The Interface Between Politics, Ethics and Urban Planning: Land and Space Barons in Harare', Environment and Planning C, 43(1), pp.146-163.
- Bhanye, J., Matamanda, A.R., Kohima, J., Bandauko, E. (2024) 'Implications of peri-urban land reform programs on urban land markets: Harare', Humanities & Social Sciences Communication, 11, 1040.
- Matamanda, R.A. (2020) 'Battling the Informal Settlement Challenge through Sustainable City Framework: Harare', Development Southern Africa, 37(2), pp.217-231.