Staff Reporter
Zibagwe Rural District Council (ZRDC) will implement wetlands protection and gully reclamation programmes as part of its environmental management efforts aimed at combating climate change and environmental degradation, Chief Executive Officer Farai Machaya has said.
Machaya made the remarks during a full council meeting, where he outlined the local authority’s environmental priorities for 2026.
He said the programmes will focus on restoring degraded land and safeguarding wetlands, which play a critical role in water conservation and ecosystem balance.
“As part of our efforts to fight climate change and environmental degradation, council will embark on wetlands protection and gully reclamation activities,” Machaya told councillors.
He said the council will also complete the training of ward environmental sub-committees, beginning with environmentally sensitive wards, in line with the Rural District Councils Act (Chapter 29:13).
The training programme, which commenced in 2025, is expected to strengthen community-level environmental governance.
Machaya said key stakeholders, including the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), the Forestry Commission, Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimparks, will be engaged to train the remaining ward environmental sub-committees during the first quarter of 2026.
In addition, he said council will intensify clean-up campaigns at business centres throughout the district in partnership with the Environmental Health Department under the Ministry of Health and Child Care. The initiative, he said, is in line with Section 73 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, which guarantees every citizen the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health and wellbeing.
On planning matters, Machaya said ZRDC’s 2026 programmes will include development control, site selection, preparation of statutory plans and feasibility studies for the establishment of health and educational facilities.
