PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has extended the State of Disaster declared over 17 rivers requiring rehabilitation to January 28, 2027, as comprehensive restoration work remains incomplete.
The extension was enacted under Statutory Instrument 173 of 2026: Civil Protection (Declaration of State of Disaster: Emergency Riverine Ecosystems Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Notice, 2026 (No. 2), published in an Extraordinary Government Gazette.
The initial State of Disaster was declared on May 28, 2026, under Statutory Instrument 91 of 2026 and was extended in September.
Authorities said that while major clean-up and restoration drives have been under way, rehabilitation works across the targeted waterways have not yet been completed to the satisfaction of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Riverine Ecosystems Rehabilitation.
The new notice maintains all statutory powers, duties and institutional arrangements previously established to ensure continuity in environmental recovery operations.
The rivers earmarked for rehabilitation are Mazowe and Murowodzi in Mashonaland Central; Mazowe and Save in Mashonaland East; and Angwa, Sanyati, Munyati and Mupfure in Mashonaland West.
Others are Umzingwane and Insiza in Matabeleland South; Manzimudaka, Mutebekwi, Sanyati and Mtshingwe in Midlands; and Mutare, Haroni and Nyamukwarara in Manicaland.
The rivers have been degraded over the years by mining and related activities.
