By Tendai Guvamombe.
Harare, Zimbabwe. (News of The South) – The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands signed in 1971, hence it provides a framework which compels governments around the globe to agitate for their conservation and wise use.
In respect of the Zimbabwean Context calls to domesticate the Ramsar Convention came in the wake of massive wetlands invasions in various places of Harare where accommodation shortage gave greenlight to land barons to stampede for illegal allocation of land.
According to the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) Department of Ecological Studies Professor Christopher Magadza wetlands gives rise to the development of major tributary streams which feed Lake Chivero with running water. Due to the continued wetlands invasion which contribute more than 80 percent of urban water water levels of Lake Chivero have decreased from 40 metres to only 17 metres and projections are indicating that the Dam will be in complete siltation by year 2040.
Members of parliament and civic organisations during the wetlands tour
“Wetlands gives rise to the development of streams like Upper Marimba Stream, Lower Marimba which originates from UZ Vleis and Mukuvisi which comes from Mabvuku and because of the continued wetlands invasions Lake Chivero suffers danger of complete siltation by 2040. The last time I measured it the depth had reduced from 40 to 17 metres.”
Against this background environmental advocacy groups which include Harare Wetlands Trust, Community Water Alliance and Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) were prompted by the dwindling water levels of Lake Chivero to be pro active in lobbying the government to domesticate the Ramsar Convention to resolve water crisis in Harare.
Joint Wetlands Tours conducted in Harare since January gave City Fathers and Parliamentary Portfolio on Environment a general preview of the rampant wetlands invasions taking place in Harare.
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environment Chaired by Hon Concillia Chinanzvavana recently vowed to get to the bottom of the subject matter and as a matter of urgency Minister responsible for Environment and City authorities fingered in the whole discourse to appear before the House of Assembly.
“ As the Parliamentary Portfolio we have seen how the majority of wetlands have been developed by land barons, our next move is to identify the people involved and we also need the minister responsible for environment to answer some of the questions before the parliament regarding wetlands issue,”
According to Hardlife Mudzingwa Community Water Alliance Spokesperson said a petition was handed to Harare City Council to suspend its approval for the construction of new State of Arts Centre in Budiriro’s Highglen Shopping Centre a scenario which prompted City Fathers to reverse the move.
“The issue of wetlands is relevant in addressing challenges of water supply in the urban city therefore it is in this view that we handed a petition to Harare City Council to urgently reverse its ealier decision to allow State of the Arts Centre to be built on wetland in Budiriro and am happy to announce that they have since withdrawn the maesure.”
Zimbabwe joined the Ramsar convention on 3 May 2013 and to this date there are seven ´Wetlands of International Importance’.
However the recent invasion of Manavale Vleis was seen to be violating Artcle 2 of the Ramsar Convention which calls for the ´wise use of welands.’
Domestication of Ramsar Convention on wetlands of lnternational importance and the UN Convention of Biodiversity is also fundamental in addressing effects of climate change and maintenance of ecological systems.
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