EMA Blocks Greystone Housing Development Over Wetl...

EMA Blocks Greystone Housing Development Over Wetland Encroachment

Oscar J. Jeke

Zim Now Reporter

The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has halted Greystone Housing Development in Borrowdale, citing its location on a protected wetland as a breach of environmental regulations.

The project, which commenced without the required environmental licenses, was stopped after EMA issued an Environmental Protection Order and a ticket to the developer, mandating the immediate cessation of all activities.

According to EMA, the project site is a designated wetland, as evidenced by black clay soils and other ecological indicators. Although the developer submitted a prospectus for review, EMA rejected it, warning that the development would cause irreversible ecological harm and disrupt the local socio-economic environment.

"The proposed project is in a wetland, and proceeding with it would have severe consequences on the environment," said EMA Environmental Education and Publicity Manager Amkela Sidange. She highlighted wetlands’ critical role in biodiversity conservation, water regulation, and climate change mitigation, stressing the need for their preservation.

EMA urged planning authorities and developers to adhere to the National Wetlands Masterplan (2021), which identifies and maps wetlands nationwide. The agency also pointed to ongoing initiatives by the Ministry of Environment, Climate, and Wildlife to gazette wetlands as Ecologically Sensitive Areas under Section 113 of the Environmental Management Act. By the end of 2024, over 258,780 hectares of wetlands had been designated as ESAs, with further expansions planned.

Violating wetland management laws carries steep penalties under the Environmental Management Act and Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007. Offenders may face fines of up to level 14, imprisonment of up to two years, or both.

Sidange called on developers to respect environmental laws, warning that encroachment on protected ecosystems would not be tolerated. "It remains everyone’s responsibility to protect wetlands for posterity," she emphasized.

The move to block the Greystone project comes as Zimbabwe prepares to host the 15th Conference of Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP15) in Victoria Falls from July 23 to 31, 2025.

Themed "Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future," the global event underscores the urgency of preserving these ecosystems amid growing environmental pressures.