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Charmaine Brown and Natasha Kokai
Harare Wetlands Trust (HWT) has noted with concern that wetlands in Mabvuku are being invaded by private companies.

Speaking during a wetlands awareness campaign in Mabvuku recently, Harare Wetlands Programmes officer Mrs Julia Perrie said the wetlands were under invasion by private companies and her organisation was engaging communities to raise awareness on preservation.

“Wetlands in the Mabvuku area are under invasion by private companies and this issue of wetlands is impacting on our water supply,” she said.

“As an organisation, we are engaging communities to raise awareness in the quest to address water problems in the city. The other critical aspect is on the issue of land degradation that is taking place at the wetlands, so as residents we have all realised that our water comes from our wetlands.”

Mabvuku Ward 46 Councillor Stewart Mutizwa raised concern over illegal settlements taking place on wetlands near Mabvuku Cemetery.

“There are two sides which are wetlands areas in Mabvuku-Tafara and these sides are invaded areas by the illegal settlers such as the area near Mabvuku cemetery and the other one near Old Tafara,” he said.

“People have illegally invaded the settlements in Mabvuku-Tafara, hence the city council is working on that currently and before those private companies were there, land invaders were also damaging that area,” he said.