By Rudo Saungweme
Harare residents have bemoaned the unlawful developments on wetlands by some citizens, saying there must be punitive measures on offenders.
The residents raised the concern yesterday at the Community Based Organisations (COBs) meeting with Harare City Council.
The residents said that Urban Agriculture has become one of the major unlawful developments after construction of houses on wetlands.
Project Manager for Harare Wetlands Trust (HWT), Selestino Chari said that people were cultivating on wetlands and this will lead to the drying up of all water bodies. Chari said that there was need for the council to intervene.
"We appeal for the Harare City Council to punish those people who are using wetlands for cultivation. The chemicals that are used on farming are also health hazardous to human life. The chemicals impurify the water in the wetlands, thereby causing danger to the lives of the people,” he said.
Chido Makoni who resides in Kambuzuma said the Local Authority was selling stands on wetlands which is unlawful.
"The Harare City Council is letting us down because they are selling stands that are on wetlands. Council needs to do something about this. As I speak right now, council has sold 195 stands on wetlands in Westlea, Mufakose 95 and also in Mabvuku along Mutare road," he said.
In response to that, Vice Chairperson of the Environmental Management Committee City of Harare, Stewart Mtizwa promised to look into the issue with the responsible authorities. He said that President Emmerson Mnangagwa was also calling for the preservation of wetlands and said that those who use it must be punished.
Mtizwa encouraged the stakeholders present to report any development on wetland to their local councillors and House of Assembly members.
HWT said that they will provide contact details for experts to write an ecological report on the area that is found to be a wetland.
Mtizwa said that regular consultative meetings with the public shall be made so as to make decisions collectively in a move to conserve the wetlands.
