Government halts Monavale Wetland development after #SaveMonavaleVlei protests

The Government has ordered an immediate stop to all development activities at the protected Monavale Wetland following a wave of protests by residents opposing land clearing in the ecologically sensitive area. The directive came after officials visited the site on Tuesday in response to public outcry over grading works reportedly linked to the allocation of residential stands for Members of Parliament.

Permanent Secretary for Presidential Affairs and Devolution, Tafadzwa Muguti, confirmed that the works had not received official approval.

“This particular instance was not cleared by Parliament, it was not cleared by Government. This is not how we do things,” Muguti said. “We will be allocating stands to Members of Parliament, but not like this… the instruction which is there still stands: that this area is a no-go area.”

The intervention follows demonstrations by residents and environmental activists under the #SaveMonavaleVlei campaign on Sunday. Organisers described the halt as a “major breakthrough” in the fight to protect the wetland, which had recently been disturbed by graders and surveyors.

“We are encouraged by the response, but we remain vigilant,” one campaigner said. “This ecosystem is too important to lose.”

Located in Harare, Monavale Wetland is one of Zimbabwe’s seven wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention. Environmental experts say the wetland plays a crucial role in water storage, flood control, and biodiversity conservation within the Manyame catchment basin, which supplies water to Harare and surrounding areas. Wetlands specialist Dr. Nyasha Gwenzi warned that development in such areas can have long-term consequences.

“Once a wetland is degraded, it loses its ability to regulate water and support biodiversity. Restoration is costly and sometimes impossible,” she said.

Residents have also challenged earlier approvals linked to development at the site, including a controversial project that reportedly received an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate. That approval is now under appeal, with environmental groups arguing that the project threatens the ecological integrity of the wetland.

The government has since directed agencies, including the Environmental Management Agency and the City of Harare, to investigate the recent activities and determine how the grading works were authorised. Urban planning expert Engineer Tinashe Zhou said stronger enforcement is needed to protect wetlands from encroachment.

“Regulations exist, but enforcement remains inconsistent. Without accountability, these incidents will continue,” he said.

Monavale Wetland has long been at the centre of disputes between conservationists and developers, with repeated attempts to convert parts of the area into residential stands. Residents say they will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure the government directive is fully enforced.

Monavale Wetland development halted