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Elita Chikwati

Senior Reporter

Rural and urban authorities must follow planning laws, keep development out of wetlands, and ensure wetlands are not degraded so they can absorb heavy rainfall and keep people safe, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said yesterday.

Poor planning and illegal development in wetlands, coupled with poor storm water drains even on land suitable for building, has seen 250 houses hit by flooding in Harare, another 1 500 in Chitungwiza and others in Mutare and Gweru.

In Zimbabwe, wetlands make up around four percent of the country including dams and lakes. But only 21 percent of wetlands are stable, while 18 percent are severely degraded and the 61 percent in between are moderately degraded.

Preliminary assessments show that flooding in Harare has affected over 250 households in areas around Budiriro 5 and 2, parts of Sunway City close to Zimre park, sections of Willowcreek and Good Hope in the Mount Hampden area.

About 1 500 houses in Chitungwiza have also been affected while reports of the same incident have been made in Mutare and Gweru.

Delivering his World Wetlands Day in Harare yesterday Minister Ndlovu said wetlands played critical functions which included protecting people from floods, droughts and other disasters and providing food and livelihoods to millions of people. They support rich biodiversity and stored more carbon than any other ecosystem.

He urged local authorities to work closely with the Environmental Management Agency and ensure environmental impact assessments are made before all developmental projects as the Ministry would not hesitate to take legal measures against those who do not comply.

“Towns and cities are human constructs, and as such, Government together with local authorities can influence and shape the evolution of towns and cities by integrating the principles of wetland wise use into planning and management decision-making.

“Wetlands should be considered as solution providers within an urban and peri-urban context, which can mitigate risks from a changing climate, support food production for a growing population, supply water and generate income through tourism and recreation,” he said.

“Too often the benefits which wetlands provide within urban and peri-urban environments are not fully recognised as they compete against urban development.

“Instead wetlands should be integrated into planning and decision-making thus becoming part of the development agenda.

“The country is commemorating this day when nature is fighting back human encroachment into wetlands by responding to developmental and human activities on these sensitive ecosystems.

“This has been observed by the current flooding of residential areas in major urban centres and even rural areas in the country. That is a true testimony of the vengeance of nature, like we have never seen before in recent history,” he said.

Rural communities have also been affected by flooding and the Ministry urged the councils to provide clear guidelines on appropriate settlement areas

“Indeed, this is a sure sign that we cannot cheat nature and get off the hook hence my plea to all citizens to follow due procedure before undertaking development activities in these ecosystems.

“Remember wetlands and water are inseparable and nature has a way of fighting back as is happening in residential areas built on wetlands where flooding is taking place,” he said

The Ministry of Environment is working towards finalising the Zimbabwe National Wetland Policy and the Ecologically Sensitive Areas Management Guidelines, whose gazetting was aimed at cultivating a culture of sustainable management of wetlands.

Each year February 2 is set aside as World Wetlands Day, a day that is commemorated to mark the signing of the Treaty on the Conservation of Wetlands, which was signed on February 2 in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran.

This year, the commemorations are running under the theme, “Water and Wetlands — Inseparable for Life”.