New masterplans to preserve wetlands

WITH Harare City Council now under pressure to update and redraft its masterplan, stakeholders say the future depends on wetlands management.

Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Winston Chitando a few days ago said updated masterplans for local authorities should be completed by June 24 under a directive from President Mnangagwa.

Of the 92 local authorities, only eight have approved masterplans.

Harare’s masterplan, which brings in the adjoining councils, was last updated in 1993.

The huge changes since then, both legal and illegal, paved the way for chaotic land allocations, including on wetlands, which often disregard environmental sustainability and have created extreme risk of flooding as wetlands are destroyed and housing is pushed towards river and stream banks.

The Network for Environmental and Climate Justice (NECJ) welcomed the Government assurances of an updated masterplan for Harare adding that effective town planning should be anchored on environmental sustainability and sustainable growth and development of the capital.

“Proper land use planning in Harare should incorporate the need to protect wetlands in line with the vision of sustainable development of the capital. Harare’s updated master plan must critically examine the state of the city’s wetlands with a view of sustainably managing them.

There is an imperative need to conduct a detailed study of the environment and the state of wetlands so as to allow for appropriate measures to be taken in protecting the environment,” said NECJ.

Several wetlands in Harare needed restoration after having been damaged while the remaining ones needed to be saved from invasion and destruction.

NECJ attributed rampant wetlands destruction and land invasions to Harare’s outdated masterplan.

“Harare’s outdated masterplan makes little reference to wetlands and their invaluable services for the City of Harare.

“Wetlands degradation has been rampant in Harare and this is coming on the backdrop of erratic water supplies, a situation that could be addressed through preservation and restoration of wetlands which are Harare’s second source of water after run-off.

“It is worth noting that land use planning in Harare has largely failed to integrate the issue of wetland ecosystems and this has come with heavy costs for the city. Harare continues to use outdated colonial legislation on urban planning which was initially meant for a smaller population and this works against proper land use and planning,” read the statement.

Development and implementation of local environmental action plans as stipulated by the Environmental Management Act was also critical for the protection of wetlands, said the organisation.