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VICE-PRESIDENT Dr Constantino Chiwenga yesterday said it was every citizen’s duty to clean up Zimbabwe and called for a high stakeholder engagement and creation of public private partnerships (PPP) for better waste management in the country.

The Vice-President said this in a speech read on his behalf by Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo during a clean-up campaign at Mukula Business Centre in Umguza.

The clean-up campaign was attended by various stakeholders including, the military, police, prison officers, Umguza Rural District Council officials, Environmental Management Agency officials and members of the public.

President Mnangagwa in December 2018 declared that the first Friday of every month should be dedicated to the national clean-up exercise.

The clean-up campaign is part of Government efforts to ensure communities live in a clean environment in both urban and rural areas through enforcing good waste management practices.

Vice-President Chiwenga said it was pleasing that most citizens have embraced the clean-up campaign.

He said as the country approaches the festive season it is expected that there would be an increase in garbage and it was a collective responsibility to keep Zimbabwe clean.

He said local authorities should come to the party and address the litter problem.

“This is in line with our devolution agenda, the burden lies on the local authorities to adopt efficient and sustainable mechanisms to address the burden of waste management in our respective areas. There is therefore a need for high stakeholder engagement and creation of PPP for better waste management practices,” said Vice-President Chiwenga.

He said the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) discourse is all encompassing hence considering the urban expansion, regular waste collection and appropriate waste management should be a priority within every local authority’s jurisdiction.”

“You are all aware that the Festive Season is upon us and usually comes with the generation of a lot of waste. I would like to urge everyone to go into the festive period with a conscience of cleanliness where we are all mindful of safely disposing of the waste we would have generated. Let us all take part in creating the future we want and leave a legacy of cleanliness for the future generation to enjoy,” he said.

Vice-President Chiwenga said the country has a waste management challenge which requires all hands on the deck to address it.

“The circular economy encourages the recycling, repurposing, remaking and remanufacturing of waste thereby valuing waste as a resource. This has a ripple effect of creating a clean environment for ourselves and broadening livelihood options through green jobs,” he said.

“This is only achievable if we all embark on waste segregation at source, establish waste transfer stations within our communities and waste management committees. When we recycle all the waste we generate, it will become easy to mop up the residual waste from the environment even outside the National Clean-Up programme through self-initiated clean up campaigns.”

Vice-President Chiwenga said the Government was pleased that a lot of corporations are adopting sites for cleaning and greening countrywide.

He said the level of cleanliness has significantly improved in the adopted sites and speaks to development at grassroot levels.

“It is common cause that the local authorities must capacitate the self-initiated recycling projects by community-based organisations and allocate them designated operating space to enhance the culture of recycling at local level. This promotes the holistic approach of encouraging reuse of waste to make products that help people to earn a living,” he said.

“With the rapid expansion facing our rural service centres, growth points and towns, I urge all local authorities to embrace such initiatives of incorporating community members into waste management to ease the burden.”

Vice-President Chiwenga said the local authorities should provide adequate bins for refuse collection while also disposing of the same.

He urged communities to complement Government efforts in solid waste management by acting responsibly and ensuring zero illegal dumping of waste in undesignated areas

“Moreover, the rainy season is upon us and thus illegal dumping of waste can result in proliferation of diarrhoeal diseases such as cholera and typhoid,” said Vice President Chiwenga.

In Bulawayo, Zanu-PF Vice-President and Second Secretary Colonel (Retired) Kembo Mohadi led the clean-up campaign at Bullet Shops in Nkulumane suburb.

 Cde Mohadi was accompanied by Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Judith Ncube, Zanu-PF Bulawayo Senator Cde Molly Mpofu and other senior Government officials.

The others who joined the clean-up campaign were members of the Environmental Management Agency, Forestry Commission and Nkulumane suburb residents. 

Cde Mohadi urged residents and the council to clear illegal dumping sites. 

“I urge all Zimbabweans to work together to ensure a clean environment in both our urban and rural areas,” said Cde Mohadi.

He said in line with the Second Republic’s agenda on Devolution, the clean-up fight should be taken to every residential area countrywide and should be led by councillors.

Cde Mohadi applauded the City of Bulawayo for their spring clean-up campaign they conducted in September. 

“I am also glad to learn that Bulawayo residents supported this campaign meant to clean up the city. I want to therefore, challenge the city fathers to make such a programme a culture so that Bulawayo can regain its status of being the cleanest city in the region,” said Cde Mohadi. 

He challenged the business community to be involved in the clean-up campaigns as it benefited their workers and their families.

Minister Ncube said illegal dumping devalues the city’s land.

“We continue to plead with the citizens of Bulawayo to desist from dumping waste at illegal sites. We need to be conscious of the environment that we live in and be careful not to devalue it through our own actions.

“Illegal dumping is impacting negatively on the beauty of the city especially in the central business district. I therefore urge all residents to be good ambassadors of our city by refraining from littering. It takes a collective effort to beautify our city and make it what we would be proud of,” said Minister Ncube.