Harare Provincial Development Coordinator (PDC) Tafadzwa Muguti has condemned controversial businessman Kenneth Raydon Sharpe’s Borrowdale houses which were constructed on a wetland saying they are not good for the environment.
Muguti made the remarks while addressing residents’ associations during a Harare Wetlands Trust meeting at Town House last week.
Muguti accused Sharpe of grossly disrespecting wetlands.
“Let me echo my displeasure, it is very bad that we have people who believe that because they are building larger property development projects they are actually to an extent immune,” Muguti said.
“There are people who feel protected by council, I am very worried about developments happening around the Borrowdale racecourse area. I grew up watching those wetlands, you wake up in the morning and there is a grader that is already building roads and you can see that stands are going to come,” added Muguti.
He accused the City of Harare and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) of corruption, questioning why they would allow development to proceed on a wetland.
“Unfortunately we have had so much corruption in this great nation of ours over the years such that when I drive around and see people building three story buildings on wetlands I am actually in shock and wonder which blind person from EMA allowed such development. What I have promised your minister is that from now on if there is a wetland that has been given an EIA certificate, we to build on a wetland we should allow people to challenge that certificate. We cannot connive in offices and agree at the expense of residents who are on the ground,” said Muguti.
He further noted that residents have been rendered powerless as City of Harare wantonly disregards their adverse reports against developments on wetlands.
“We all know that Harare has a greater master-plan, the areas which are wetlands have not been built on for a reason, they were left out of the master-plan for a reason. It was not an omission; it was actually part of the plan that they be left out. There is also the issue to do with large property developers, while they are good for us as a province they need to also be good for the environment,” Muguti said.