By Ndatenda Njanike
Illegal sand mining along Cleveland Dam has left wetland defenders fearing for their lives as they face constant threats from the poachers.
The high unemployment rate in the country has prompted many youths residing in Mabvuku and Epworth suburbs to resort to illegal activities such as sand poaching.
Speaking during a media tour organised by BirdLife Zimbabwe of Harare Ramsar sites and ecologically sensitive areas last week BirdLife Resident Director Jimmy Mahachi told this publication how their efforts to preserve wetlands have threatened their lives.
“We have been threatened with death over these issues of wetlands protection.
“As a resident of Mabvuku, we have gone for more than 30 years without tap water because of the destruction of wetlands.
We have taken this action to protect these lands mainly because of the lack of water, which is a basic human right guaranteed by the Constitution in section 77.
Mahachi further urged the government to take a multi-stakeholder approach to combat the destruction of wetlands.
“I urge the government to take up a multi-stakeholder approach when combating this issue.
“I think us (Pressure Groups) as well as residents should be championing for the protection of this place as it is our duty to protect these wetlands.
Zimbabwe is a Signatory to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of 1971 and has domesticated provisions for the protection of wetlands under the Environmental Management Act (Cap 20;27), Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007 on Environmental Management (Environmental Impact Assessment and Ecosystems Protection) Regulations and Government Gazette 380 of 2013.
Wetlands are natural sponges that trap and slowly release surface water, rain, snowmelt, groundwater and flood waters.