By Fanuel Chinowaita
*Mutare , 04 February 2025* – The City of Mutare has issued a strong warning against illegal farming on the Dangamvura and Christmas Pass mountains, citing environmental risks that could lead to devastating flooding in the city.
Speaking during a press briefing yesterday, Mutare Town Clerk Blessing Chafesuka stressed that the local authority will not stand by while residents continue to engage in destructive farming practices in restricted areas. He warned that all crops planted on the mountains would soon be slashed as part of the council’s enforcement measures.
“The City Council will not fold its hands and watch as some residents farm in areas where they are not allowed. Farming in mountainous areas causes deforestation and soil erosion, which increase the risk of flooding in the city,” Chafesuka said.
He pointed to the tragic impact of Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani as a warning, saying Mutare must not suffer a similar fate. The cyclone, which struck in 2019, led to massive landslides, loss of lives, and destruction of property worth thousands of dollars.
Chafesuka revealed that the council had previously encouraged residents to approach the Housing Department for proper allocation of farming land, but many ignored the advice and continued farming on the mountains.
“The city has tried to urge residents to apply for designated farming land through the Housing Department, but they have ignored this and continue farming in the mountains,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Mutare Rivers Initiative (MRI), an environmental advocacy group, has been pressuring the City Council to act against those farming in ecologically sensitive areas, including mountains and wetlands. The organization has raised concerns about the destruction of vegetation, which weakens soil stability and contributes to landslides and flash floods.
Lynne James, a representative of the Mutare Rivers Rehab, echoed the City Council’s concerns and called on residents to reflect on their choices.
“I think that as residents of Mutare, we need to decide exactly what it is that we want. We all witnessed the ‘water chaos’ in the city over the past two weeks.Two children were swept away, homes were flooded and businesses were flooded.
“Roads were blocked by runoff from our cultivated mountains and blocked drains.
“Our rivers were flooding, bridges were under water, but ultimately, they will silt up with soil, as we know.
“The city bylaws around cultivation are there to PROTECT US by PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT. It’s that simple.
“If residents want to live in a safe environment, then we need to obey the laws that ensure our wetlands, rivers, forests, and mountain environments remain intact so that they can function. Cultivating such environments leaves them exposed, vulnerable, and eventually functionless.
‘So, what is it that residents want? The chaos of environmental destruction? Or the safety of intact ecosystems that serve to protect us? We cannot have both.
“A question: Who is responsible for the cost of the damage caused by the few who choose to break these environmental laws?All of us, it seems.
“We need to learn to respect and care for our environment – for today and tomorrow.”
Some residents, however, have defended their actions, citing the lack of alternative farming spaces and food insecurity. Others have called on the City Council to provide more accessible land to prevent illegal farming.