The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) has blamed the City of Harare for the recent flooding in parts of the capital, citing years of poor spatial planning, corruption and neglect of drainage infrastructure.
In a statement, issued yesterday, CHRA Chairperson, David Pasipanodya accused the local authority of allocating housing stands on wetlands, open spaces and waterways, exposing residents to recurrent flooding and other environmental risks.
“Over the years, the City of Harare has been allocating and parcelling out housing stands on wetlands, open spaces and water ways, a situation that has exposed residents to natural disasters including flooding,” he said.
He said the practice was driven largely by financial pressures at Town House, with land sales becoming a key revenue stream.
“Poor revenue inflows saw land sales becoming a lucrative source of revenue to the local authority to pay for salaries for its workers,” Pasipanodya said.
The CHRA chairperson said the situation has been worsened by land invasions and the growth of informal settlements.
“The situation has been further exacerbated by land invasions spearheaded by powerfully connected land barons, and the emergence of informal settlements,” he said.
Pasipanodya said Harare’s spatial planning had been driven by economic gain at the expense of environmental protection, undermining Zimbabwe’s development commitments.
“Spatial planning in Harare has been motivated by economic gain while neglecting the natural environment, which severely undermines Zimbabwe’s progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 11, that aims to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable,” he said.
While acknowledging pressure from rural-to-urban migration, Mr Pasipanodya said disorderly land allocation could not be justified.
“We appreciate that rural–urban migration has put pressure on land for housing and other social services for the city, but land allocation must be done in a more organised and sustainable manner,” he said.
He warned that continued disregard for environmental regulations would have long-term consequences.
“The City of Harare cannot continue to disregard the gazetted Ecologically Sensitive Areas Map in its spatial planning and expect normalcy.
“Construction on wetlands is self-destructive, counterproductive, exacerbates flooding, poses health risks, and threatens long-term water and food security for the city,” he added
CHRA called for urgent rehabilitation and upgrading of the drainage system, the integration of the City’s environmental division into spatial planning decisions, and the finalisation of Harare’s Master Plan with strict adherence to environmental laws.
