By Staff Reporter
HARARE — The City of Harare Housing Department has been accused of masterminding the controversial allocation of 31 residential stands on a gazetted wetland in Marlborough.
Inside sources allege that the department facilitated the sales despite outstanding planning and environmental requirements.
The stands, at the corner of Taormina Avenue and Newstead Road, next to the Marlborough sewer ponds, have already attracted construction.
All City of Harare Housing Department officials on Friday snubbed a situational meeting held at the site by the Zimbabwe Wetlands Trust, where stakeholders were seeking answers over the alleged illegal allocations.
When contacted by NewsHour for comment on the alleged illegal sale of 31 stands, City of Harare Director of Housing and Community Services Addmore Nhekairo said: “I will come back to you.”
The Zimbabwe Wetlands Trust convened the meeting following public outcry over the development.
Ward 41 councillor Kudzai Kadzombe said she had raised concerns when the matter was first brought before council, including the wetland’s gazetted status and its proximity to sewer ponds.
“When the matter was first brought before council, I raised several anomalies, including the fact that the area is a gazetted wetland and is also close to sewer ponds,” Kadzombe said.
She said arrangements had been made for the Town Planning and Housing departments to visit the site for a feasibility study, but this was never done.
“Later, I learnt with shock after the District office informed me that beneficiaries of the residential stands had already made payments,” she said.
Kadzombe said the allocations appeared to contravene the Urban Councils Act and the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act.
“It’s shocking that the lawmakers have become the law breakers.
“We need the Housing Department to tell us how they did the allocations when we don’t have a permit and the Environmental Management Agency has confirmed that there is no Environmental Impact Assessment,” she said.
She also questioned the country’s commitment to wetland conservation under the Ramsar Convention.
“I am hoping that we will have another meeting where the Town Planning and Housing Departments can tell us how they allocated these stands on a wetland without permits,” Kadzombe said.
A representative from the district office confirmed that beneficiaries had been issued offer letters but said no development permits had been granted and no EIA had been conducted before the allocations.
A City of Harare official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Environmental Department had not been consulted.
“This is an act of corruption and no consultation was done before the stands allocation.
“We only became aware of it after residents raised concern,” the official said.
The Marlborough Environmental Action Group (MEAG) called for stern action over the allocations, saying residents had not been consulted.
“We are also querying whether an Environmental Impact Assessment was issued by the Environmental Management Agency.
“The Environmental Management Act requires that an EIA be conducted before any development,” the organisation said.
MEAG said the development, next to the Gwebi River, could affect Harare’s water supply.
“With Zimbabwe holding the Presidency of the Ramsar Convention, we should be championing the conservation of wetland ecosystems and not the degradation of these fragile ecosystems,” it said.
In June, the City of Harare warned residents against the illegal sale of residential stands in Marlborough.
“The City of Harare has been made aware of land barons who are criminally selling Council land in Marlborough using fake documents,” the council said.
City of Harare urged residents to approach its district offices and Housing Department for clarification before making payments.
