Residents, Conservationists Condemn Construction On Monavale Wetland
Source: Residents, Conservationists Condemn Construction On Monavale Wetland ⋆ Pindula News Residents of Monavale and Meyrick Park in Harare have voiced anger over the ongoing grading and planned construction on the Monavale wetland, a protected site under the Ramsar Convention. In a joint statement, the Conservation Society of Monavale (COSMO), Sherwood Golf Club & Community […]
Residents of Monavale and Meyrick Park in Harare have voiced anger over the ongoing grading and planned construction on the Monavale wetland, a protected site under the Ramsar Convention.
In a joint statement, the Conservation Society of Monavale (COSMO), Sherwood Golf Club & Community Hub, and Concerned Residents of Monavale & Meyrick Park said the work was being carried out illegally, without valid permits from the City of Harare or the Environmental Management Agency (EMA). Reads the statement:
“EMA responded swiftly (when residents reported) and issued the developer, one Mr Tiripano, reportedly of TripTrans, with a fine for violating section 97(2) of the Environmental Management Act.
“Undeterred, the developer continued grading the wetland on Saturday October 4, 2025. The matter was reported to the police, leading to the arrest of two persons working for the developer who were later released.”
Residents say the new development comes amid an ongoing land ownership dispute, with around 11 hectares of the Monavale Wetland Ramsar Site reportedly acquired by Cablemail (Pvt) Ltd.
Dorothy Wakeling, a Monavale resident and member of the local Conservation Society, described the wetland destruction as utterly devastating, and said it contradicts both city policies and national laws.
Wetlands are crucial to the water cycle, helping recharge underground aquifers, naturally purifying water, and reducing surface runoff, which is a major cause of flooding. Said Wakeling:
“This graded area of wetland must be retrieved and then it can be restored for water provisioning for all.
“The policy of the City of Harare is densification. Where will the extra water come from when the wetlands have gone?”
Briggs Bomba, proprietor of Sherwood Golf Club, said the community was deeply disappointed by the blatant seizure of communal land by land barons. Said Bomba:
“We have been at the forefront of resisting illegal land invasion in the surrounding area — including 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, which forms part of our shared ecological heritage of Harare.”
