The building of structures in wetlands has resulted in the loss of property during Zimbabwe’s 2020/2021 rainfall season.
Residents lost property through waterlogging as the ground saturates faster on wetlands.
Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) says the African country still witnesses the significant loss of wetlands because of agricultural development, construction, deforestation, mineral extraction, and freshwater diversion.
“Development in wetlands without proper mitigation measures has resulted in the infringements of the functions and services provided by wetlands,” the association says.
“This rainfall season of 2020 to 2021 has evidently exposed the need to balance human development and wetland ecosystems as several communities have lost properties within the urban built environment namely Budiriro 2, Chitungwiza, Norton, Gweru, Kwekwe among other areas countrywide where settlements were constructed disregarding land cover and land use plans.”
ZELA also says some of the challenges of building in wetlands are emanating from illegal land sales and allocations by land barons and some Local Authorities being driven by selfish motives for profit.
“These challenges suggest that there is a dire need to deal with issues of urban sprawls and informal settlements and create sanity while protecting the right to shelter for the ordinary citizens,” the association says.
Another organisation, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) says, “The primary issues driving the loss of wetlands, the reduction of the source of the city’s water, are development on wetlands – both “legal” and “illegal”; cultivation throughout the open spaces of the city and along stream banks leading to degradation and invasive plant species, pollution.”
Harare Wetlands Trust (HWT) says, “Despite being a state party to the ‘Ramsar Convention’ (the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance), having constitutional protection for environmental rights, and having specific legislation to protect wetlands in the Environmental Management Act and the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations (Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007), about half of all wetlands have been lost through conversion to development.”
The government in response to the development of structures on wetlands blames corrupt officials in the local authorities.
“Land barons were working in cahoots with corrupt State and municipal officers and fleecing unsuspecting home-seekers,” Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said.
But, local authorities respond by stating that the government holds much power in the allocation of land.
The arrested Harare Mayor once agreed that his position is just ceremonial as more powers are held by the government.
ZELA says wetland management must be encouraged at all costs.
“This is because the destruction of these rich in biodiversity but fragile ecosystems has a high cost not only for the present but future generations as well. The disruption of our wetlands must cease, while the remaining ones must be retained, and where possible rehabilitation, restoration and re-creation of these wetlands must be attempted,” the association says.
