Zimpapers Logo

Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Reporter

Harare City Council has been criticised for lacking seriousness on wetlands preservation, with the city operating without a legally required Local Environment Action Plan over the years.

Addressing an interactive residents and stakeholder forum at Harare Town House, Provincial Development Coordinator Mr Tafadzwa Muguti said environmental issues were key to economic development.

“Your Worship, the Acting Mayor, it then breaks my heart that, I now have been in office for 14 months and Harare still does not have a Local Environment Action Plan (LEAP). Fourteen months later we don’t have LEAP. That’s disappointing.

“It is important that Harare City Council takes the environmental management issues as key to the economic development,” he said.

Speaking after the meeting, Harare Wetlands Trust programmes manager Mr Selestino Chari said the meeting was aimed at unpacking the guidelines on wetlands.

“There is need to come up with a one-stop shop were the Environmental Management Agency, City of Harare, Zinwa Upper Manyame can come to one table and agree on issues before any decisions are made. City of Harare is not even aware of certain areas that have been given Environmental Impact Assessments.

“The same thing again, EMA also blames council for giving certain areas in wetlands without our knowledge. There is that need for coordination between City of Harare and EMA,” he said.