MPs Kicked Out Of Monavale Wetland As Government Halts Housing Project
Plans by a group of Members of Parliament to build houses on Harare’s Monavale Wetland have been stopped after Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe ordered all development activities to cease. The decision follows a tense stand-off between MPs and environmental activists who blocked earth-moving equipment from clearing the protected area.
The dispute reached a turning point on 9 June 2026 when Bikita West MP Energy Mutodi confirmed that the proposed housing project for legislators had been abandoned.
MPs Admit Defeat After Government Intervention
Speaking after meetings with parliamentary and government authorities, Mutodi said the MPs had been instructed to halt all activities at the wetland.
Mutodi said:
“I had a meeting with the Speaker of Parliament and also with the minister of local government and we were advised to stop any developments on that site.”
He added:
“There is not going to be any development for Member of Parliament stands at that site. Everything has been stopped. I’m sure there is going to be alternative land that is going to be allocated to these MPs.”
The project had drawn strong opposition from environmental campaigners, who argued that development would threaten one of Harare’s most important wetlands.
Last Saturday, activists physically stood in front of graders and other machinery to prevent land clearance from proceeding.
Equipment Removed From Site
Mutodi said the MPs had accepted the position communicated by government officials and environmental authorities.
He explained:
“We have been given the facts, we are now well aware that this land is a no-go area.”
He added:
“The equipment has been removed from the site – there is not going to be any development of any nature because of the issues that have been raised by the environmental agencies and so on.”
The remarks effectively ended the immediate dispute over the proposed housing development.
Activists Celebrate Wetland Victory
Monavale Wetland plays a significant role in Harare’s ecosystem. It stores water during dry periods and gradually releases it into the Marimba River, which feeds Lake Chivero, Harare’s primary water source. The wetland also helps reduce flooding in suburbs downstream, including Mufakose and Budiriro.
Environmental campaigners had argued that construction activities could affect these important functions.
Lawyer Doug Coltart, who represented the activists opposing the project, welcomed the government’s decision.
Coltart described the outcome as:
“A massive victory for the people.”
The decision means construction plans at the wetland have been suspended indefinitely while authorities consider alternative land for the legislators.
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