Residents Call for Tougher Laws Against Polluters, Wetland Developers

The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) has welcomed the gazetting of the Environmental Management Amendment Bill, saying tougher penalties are needed to curb water pollution and the destruction of wetlands.

The Bill was gazetted by Parliament on 9 September 2026 and seeks to introduce harsher penalties for corporate polluters and wetland developers.

CHRA said the proposed amendments were consistent with concerns raised by Harare residents over deteriorating water quality and the destruction of wetlands.

The residents’ body has, however, called on Parliament to use both physical and virtual platforms to ensure that residents across Harare can participate in public consultations on the Bill.

“We applaud the Parliament of Zimbabwe for gazetting the Environmental Management Amendment Bill on September 9, 2026. To ensure wider coverage and inclusivity in the parliamentary public consultation processes on the Bill, we call upon the Parliament of Zimbabwe to deploy an array of platforms, physically and virtually, to solicit residents’ input on the Bill.” CHRA said.

CHRA said Zimbabwe’s existing environmental and water laws did not provide sufficiently strong deterrents against pollution and wetland destruction.

It argued that the polluter-pays principle had not been fully implemented because of gaps in legislation and policy.

“Current polluter permit fees and fines are often not commensurate with the environmental damage caused and are not effectively used for pollution remediation, restoration, or prevention,” the association said.

“As a result, it has become cheaper for corporates to pollute rather than comply with the environmental water laws.”

The association said residents were ultimately bearing the cost of pollution through higher water tariffs, poor water quality and reduced water availability, as well as the loss of biodiversity and disruption of livelihoods.

CHRA said the City of Harare was using 10 water treatment chemicals, with monthly treatment costs estimated at about US$3 million which it attributed to heavy pollution in Lake Chivero.

The association also raised concerns about industrial effluent, saying some companies were failing to install pre-treatment facilities before discharging waste into municipal sewer systems.

It cited Section 59 of the Environmental Management Act [Chapter 20:27], which requires industries to meet environmental requirements before discharging effluent into municipal sewer systems.

CHRA said the problem was compounded by malfunctioning sewer treatment infrastructure at facilities including Crowborough, Firle and Chitungwiza.

The association said strengthening the proposed amendments could contribute to the protection of constitutional rights to a clean environment and access to water.

Sections 73 and 77 of the Constitution provide for the right to an environment that is not harmful to health or wellbeing and the right to safe, clean and potable water.

CHRA recommendations

CHRA said the polluter-pays principle should be strengthened to improve environmental governance and accountability while ensuring that those responsible for pollution pay the costs of remediation and restoration.

It also called for fines and permit fees to reflect the actual cost of environmental damage.

The association further urged government to compel companies to install appropriate pre-treatment facilities before discharging industrial effluent into municipal sewer systems.

It said fragmented legislation, weak regulatory oversight, overlapping institutional mandates and poor coordination among stakeholders needed to be addressed to strengthen enforcement.

CHRA also called for urgent rehabilitation of sewer treatment infrastructure at Crowborough, Firle and Chitungwiza.

“Amendments capturing resident input and submissions will go a long way towards enhancing water security and the realisation of Sections 73 on the right to a clean environment and 77 on the right to water enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe,” CHRA said.

The association said it welcomed government efforts to strengthen environmental and water laws, but urged policymakers to ensure that the final legislation translated into effective enforcement and tangible improvements for residents.

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