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Elita Chikwati Senior Reporter
The Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry is working on synchronising statutory instruments to come up with a stronger policy to put an end to construction on wetlands, as this is threatening the environment, especially in Harare.
This came out when Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environment and Tourism chaired by Member of Parliament Ms Concilia Chinanzvavana to give oral evidence on wetlands protection and preservation.
Legislators expressed concern over the continuous construction on wetlands, while others argued that the buildings should be demolished.
They singled out construction at Monavale, Borrowdale Vlei, Long Cheng Plaza, and a filling station near the University of Zimbabwe, and demanded to know who authorised construction on the wetlands.
“I cannot give you the details now, but I will furnish you with the proper details after I have gathered enough information,” said Minister Mupfumira.
She said wetlands were important as they were the habitat to plant and animal species, controlled flooding by absorbing excess water and also filtered impurities from water.
“The major threat to wetlands are commercial and housing construction projects in urban areas, unsustainable agricultural activities, resource extraction and veld fires in rural areas,” said Minister Mupfumira.
“Non co-operation by citizens, negative attitude by land developers, lack of appreciation on wetland values, low compliance by local authorities and competing human interests tend to negate proper wetland management.
“Local authority capture by land barons. During the first republic, land barons encroached wetlands disregarding environmental provisions.
“The illegal settlements are regarded as shelter and human rights issues come into play. The process of attaining court orders to clear these areas take long and are guided by the Council Act.”
Minister Mupfumira said Zimbabwe had ratified the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty and was committed to designate suitable wetlands to ensure effective management and work towards the wise use of the natural resource through national land use planning and appropriate policies and legislation and public education, to co-operate to promote wetland management.
She said there was a conflict as Government came up with a gazette to regulate use of wetlands, but some people had already been allocated land and were protected under the Properties Act.
“We have instituted a national taskforce to deal with the use of wetlands and we have representatives from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing; Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry and Environmental Management Authority to review and synchronise all the statutory instruments and by-laws that regulate wetland use and management,” said Minister Mupfumira.
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