By Correspondent
Since 2001, Monavale Vlei has been protected and celebrated for protecting water sources and biodiversity.
It is one of Zimbabwe’s seven Ramsar Sites, a list of wetlands of international importance.
In October, Mongabay, an American conservation news portal, featured the vlei and celebrated how “through efforts of local organisation, the wetland area remains a provider of many ecosystem services”.
Unbeknown is how Harare City Council had already sold 11 hectares of the place to Cablemail (Pvt) Ltd in 2021 through a deed of grant.
The deed was from the Ministry of Local Government.
Cablemail, in turn, contracted TripTrans to develop stands in the area.
Monavale Disemboweled
Residents were shocked last week to see that graders had cleared vast swaths within the wetland.
Investigations have revealed that the developments are being done without Council permits or the approval of the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).
Efforts to contain the shocking developments have naturally been mere box-ticking formalities.
EMA has fined TripTrans for violating Section 97(2) for degrading the environment and then disappeared.
ZRP has arrested two individuals and subsequently released them.
Residents have expressed shock, and in a statement by three resident organisations, called for greater action.
The spaces currently being cleared for development include a portion of the lower holes at Sherwood Golf Course.
The adjacent wetland along Quendon Road has also been affected.
“An urgent enquiry is needed to establish whether, and if so, why and how, the State disposed of land within one of Zimbabwe’s seven designated Wetlands of International Importance.
Denford Ngadziore, Ward 16 Councillor, revealed that he was aware of the plans but has vowed to resist the move.
“I have been alerted to plans to turn parts of Sherwood Golf Course into stands, a mall, and a service station.
“Together with the community, I have consistently resisted such moves.
“Sherwood is a vital recreational and sporting facility that must be preserved and upgraded.
Sherwood Golf Course’s member Briggs Bomba expressed outrage.
“As the Sherwood community, we are outraged by the wanton grabbing of community commons by land barons.
“We have been at the forefront of resisting illegal land invasions in the surrounding area.
“This includes attempts by land barons to encroach onto the golf course and wetland spaces.
“We call on the whole community to join the fight for the preservation of the Monavale Wetland ecosystem,” he said.
A Case For Absurdity
As a wetland, Monavale Vlei is critical as a source of water, acting as a natural sponge to collect, store and release water into downstream rivers.
The catchment area’s rivers flow down into Harare’s main water supply dam, Lake Chivero, while replenishing groundwater sources for the city.
Harare’s water supply system dates to the 1960’s and currently produces just over 700 000 m³ of water a day.
However, this supply currently only meets some 40% of demand.
Monavale’s destruction also flies in the face of the country’s commitments under the Ramsar Convention.
Ironically, Zimbabwe successfully hosted the 15th Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP15) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands from July 23 in Victoria Falls.
Dorothy Wakeling from Conservation Society said, “seeing the grader scraping away a portion of the Monavale wetland was utterly devastating.
“We know what we are losing in terms of the wetland biodiversity from having managed the vlei for the past 25 years.
“It is an immense loss to water provisioning and nature,” she said.
More staggering is how Harare Council is itself oblivious to this very clear problem.
