Illegal dumping: Harare reads riot act
Brian Rungano Temba
Harare Metropolitan Province is preparing a policy to deal with illegal dumping and litter bugs.
This comes barely a week after Harare Permanent Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Mr Tafadzwa Muguti, at a Clean-Up Campaign held in the Mount Pleasant Constituency at Pendennis Shopping Centre last week.
“Let me emphasise to all business owners in Harare Metropolitan Province that they face hefty fines from the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), and possible prosecution for illegal dumping of waste on open spaces, while I also urge communities to guard and safeguard the environment from businesses that seek to dump industrial and hazardous waste in their communities,” PS Muguti said.
The venue which hosted the 45th Presidential Clean Up Campaign was in Mount Pleasant, a Northern Surburb which has seen the development of an illegal dumping site at the Open space at Pendennis Shopping Centre.
Residents and Shops have been dumping their garbage there due to negligence and unreliable garbage collection by Harare City Council.
At the Shopping Centre there is a Liquor Store, Grocery Shop, Fruit and Vegetables Market.
All have contributed to the accumulation of waste due to bad garbage collection in the area as well
The Business community and Residents have requested a Skip Bin from Harare City Council without any success
Speaking at the event on behalf of President, Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Hon Kazembe Kazembe said it will take walking the talk to manifest the vision of a clean and aesthetic environment that the community would be proud of.
“As you are aware, waste management has become a great problem in both Rural and Urban areas resulting in dumps starting in residential areas and open spaces.
Harare Metropolitan Province houses the capital city of Harare, which was once known as the sunshine city but regrettably this in no longer the case. We need to desist from illegal dumping of waste in open spaces and take back Harare to its Sunshine City Status.
Let me further remind you that our actions today will affect our future generations hence we call to reduce our ecological footprint,” he said.
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