Government Stops MPs’ Housing Project on Protected Monavale Wetland

HARARE – Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe has ordered Members of Parliament (MPs) to halt plans to build residential stands on Harare's protected Monavale Wetland, bringing an end to a controversial development proposal that sparked widespread opposition from environmental activists and conservation groups.

The decision follows days of tension at the internationally protected wetland, where environmental campaigners physically blocked construction equipment from entering the site after graders and other machinery were moved onto the area in preparation for land-clearing operations. Monavale Wetland, also known as Monavale Vlei, is one of Zimbabwe's most important ecological sites. The 507-hectare wetland was designated a Ramsar Site in 2013 under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an international treaty that obliges member states to conserve and sustainably manage wetlands of global significance.

Former Deputy Information Minister Energy Mutodi, who was leading a group of nearly two dozen MPs seeking residential stands on the land, confirmed on Tuesday that the project had been abandoned following consultations with senior government officials.

"I had a meeting with the Speaker of Parliament and also with the Minister of Local Government, and we were advised to stop any developments on that site," said Mutodi. "The current status is that there is not going to be any development for Member of Parliament residential stands at that site. Everything has been stopped."

Mutodi said the MPs had accepted the government's position and would comply with the directive.

"We have been given the facts. We are now well aware that this land is a no-go area," he said. "The equipment has been removed from the site. There is not going to be any development of any nature because of the issues that have been raised by the environmental agencies and so on."

He added that government was expected to identify alternative land for the legislators.

The decision has been welcomed by environmental campaigners who argued that any development on the wetland would violate environmental protection laws and threaten Harare's water security. Lawyer Doug Coltart, who represented activists opposing the project, described the government's intervention as a significant victory for environmental conservation and public interest.

The standoff reached its peak over the weekend when activists stood in front of earthmoving equipment to prevent land-clearing operations from commencing.

Environmental experts say Monavale Wetland plays a critical role in Harare's water management system. The wetland acts as a natural filtration system by removing pollutants, heavy metals and disease-causing pathogens before water reaches the Cleveland Dam catchment area. This natural purification process helps reduce water treatment costs and improves the quality of water supplied to residents.

Experts warn that destruction of the wetland would increase water turbidity, raise chemical treatment costs and place additional strain on Harare's already challenged water infrastructure. The wetland is also a biodiversity hotspot supporting numerous species of birds, amphibians and small mammals.

According to BirdLife Zimbabwe, Monavale regularly hosts rare and important bird species including Striped Crakes, Streaky-breasted Flufftails, Broad-tailed Warblers and Dwarf Bitterns, particularly during the rainy season between December and April. Conservationists say the government's decision reinforces Zimbabwe's commitment to protecting environmentally sensitive ecosystems and preserving wetlands that play a vital role in climate resilience, biodiversity conservation and water security.

Monavale Wetland