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HARARE Wetlands Vanishing Despite Impending Global Conservation Summit
HARARE – As Zimbabwe prepares to host the Ramsar convention on Wetlands, a global summit dedicated to protecting the world’s remaining wetlands, the country is facing a crisis of its own: the rapid disappearance of its wetlands due to growth and questionable land deals.
One such case involves a 79-year-old resident who has witnessed the degradation of a wetland over two decades, as people cultivated maize on the land, diminishing its capacity as a flood buffer and water reservoir. Now,Vifot Investments,a real estate company,plans to construct 130 homes and 20 office blocks in the heart of the wetland,with heavy vehicles already pouring construction materials into the area west of Harare.
Reuben Akili, director of the Combined Harare Residents Association, says this project exemplifies a broader trend of authorities approving large-scale construction projects on wetlands despite environmental warnings.
Robert Mutyasira, chairperson of the Borrowdale Residents and Ratepayers Association, states, “The city of Harare has been irresponsible in terms of allocating pieces of land. They have been allocating land anywhere.”
the problem extends beyond a single neighborhood. The Longcheng Plaza mall, opened in 2013, was built atop a vital wetland along the Harare-Bulawayo Highway. A Harare Wetlands Trust analysis revealed a 50% decline in Harare wetlands between 2007 and 2019, attributing the loss to cultivation, housing developments, and illegal settlements.
The destruction of wetlands, which act as natural sponges for rain, has lead to increased flooding in Harare suburbs like Budiriro and Mabvuku.
“The city of Harare has been irresponsible in terms of allocating pieces of land. They have been allocating land anywhere.”
The concern for wetlands preservation is global. Jakarta, indonesia, is sinking due to wetland destruction, prompting the government to relocate the capital 1. In Brazil, developments are encroaching on the Pantanal, the world’s largest wetland 2. Argentina’s parana Delta is also facing threats from luxury projects. Since 1970, around 35% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared 3.
While governments elsewhere are trying to mitigate the damage, environmentalists in Zimbabwe say the government is enabling destruction that coudl lead to more severe flooding and water shortages.
The country has environmental laws requiring consultation with the Environmental Management Agency and an approved environmental impact assessment for development on or near a wetland. However, enforcement is reportedly lax.
In the Vifot Investments case, the Harare Wetlands Trust accused authorities in a 2021 report of approving an environmental impact assessment with irregularities. They allege Vifot misrepresented the site’s location to bypass regulations, falsely categorizing it as within a light industrial zone instead of a wetland.
Aaron Chigona, director of the Environmental Management Agency, was arrested in January 2024 for his alleged role in the land deal but was later freed without prosecution and retained his position.
Amkela Sidange,education and publicity manager for the agency,says the agency was satisfied with the Vifot environmental impact assessment,claiming the project will have minimal impact and includes a nature park within the wetland area. She says the cluster homes will occupy just 5 hectares of non-wetland land.
Vifot Managing Director Liangming Jin initially offered a reporter US$200, which was declined. He later stated that the company plans to construct residential houses on 14 hectares of the land, followed by office blocks on the rest, and will implement measures like water canals to minimize environmental impact.
Jin says he bought the land from the city of Harare. mayor Jacob Mafume says he is unaware of Vifot’s specific project but acknowledges that wetlands are being sold illegally. He says his office will address any problems arising from granted permissions.
Mutyasira says the judicial system has failed to protect wetlands, notably when they are private property. He suggests heftier penalties,including the potential removal of ownership,could help.
Roger Fairlie, founder of the Greystone Nature Reserve, advocates for community involvement to raise awareness about the importance of wetlands.
Sidange says companies with approved projects must protect the environment, or thier certification could be revoked.
As the world prepares to gather in Harare to discuss wetlands protection, the city’s wetlands are disappearing, exacerbating water shortages and reliance on boreholes, which are also drying up.
Lind in Juuri, GPJ Zimbabwe
Lind in Juuri, GPJ Zimbabwe
lind in Juuri, GPJ Zimbabwe
