by Staff reporter

Government is deeply concerned with the illegal expansive construction in wetlands and river basins as well as the construction of houses without the provision of the requisite infrastructure such as roads, water, sewer and electricity, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.

The President said this yesterday during his State Of The Nation Address (SONA) in the capital, where he highlighted that alternative spaces have to be urgently identified and developed for the relocation of families with houses built on wetlands and other undesignated areas.

“The current excellent rains received across the country have exposed and lay bare the extent of the associated problems in unplanned settlements in our urban, peri-urban and growth points.

“Henceforth, relevant ministries are being constituted into working groups that will focus on social service delivery as well as arresting the negative impact of the chaotic, unplanned illegal settlements in growth points, towns and cities,” said the President.

The President said that the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities, along with other ministries, departments and agencies must immediately identify such areas and ascertain the quantum of affected households.

President Mnangagwa added that the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) should identify and designate all wetlands around the country and unsuitable spaces for human settlements and boundaries marking rural and urban land must be enforced or redrawn according to relevant laws.

The President revealed that the redress of this undesirable and worrisome situation is being urgently and decisively undertaken across all local authorities.

Following heavy rains that the country recently received, some residents in Budiriro, Chitungwiza and surrounding areas were left counting their losses after their houses and household goods worth thousands of dollars were destroyed by floods.  Affected residents blamed the MDC Alliance-led city councils for allocating them stands on the wetlands.