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Chronicle Reporters 

VICE President Kembo Mohadi yesterday said Government is committed to averting health disasters hence its commitment to national clean-up campaign among other environmental interventions.

The Vice President made the remarks while addressing stakeholders during yesterday’s national clean-up campaign in Beitbridge at Pagomba Café in ward 5.

He said diseases such as cholera had devastating effects in Beitbridge especially in 2008 due to lack of a clean environment.

“This clean-up day is the ninth since the declaration and inception of the Clean-Up Programme by President of Zimbabwe, His Excellency, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa on 5 December 2018 running under the theme ‘Zero tolerance to litter: My environment, My Pride,” said Vice President Mohadi.

“I would like to thank the nation for embracing this initiative as evidenced by the huge numbers participating in these monthly events since the launch of the programme. It is my hope that through this programme and many others that will be executed to complement it, tragedies like cholera outbreak that was witnessed in 2008 will be a thing of the past. Numerous lives were lost during the cholera outbreak of 2008 and Beitbridge was one of the areas that were hit hard by the pandemic,” said VP Mohadi.

He urged Zimbabweans to shun littering and the random dumping of waste as it contributes to outbreaks of diseases.

VP Mohadi said Government was concerned that local authorities have not embraced modern waste management systems which can even generate money for them.

“As we participate in these national clean-up events let us also think of recycling as a business enterprise and establish such income generating projects in line with our national vision to attain an upper middle-income economy by 2030,” said Vice President Mohadi.

In Bulawayo the clean-up campaign was at Pumula East Shopping Centre and was led by Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Judith Ndlovu and the Mayor Clr Solomon Mguni.

Clr Mguni said through the exercise Government is complementing local authorities’ efforts to keep their cities and towns clean. 

 “I think the exercise has grown from strength to strength and is complementing our efforts to clean the environment,” said Clr Mguni.

The clean-up campaign in Gweru was held in style as participating teams at the ongoing National Youth and Paralympics games took time to clean up where they are staying for the games.

The teams also cleaned streets in the Central Business District.

National Youth Games chief executive officer Mr James Chivivi said the clean-up campaign was a thank you gesture to the President for officially opening the National Youth and Paralympics games.

Midlands Environmental Management Agency, (EMA) provincial manager Mr Benson Bhasera hailed the public response to the campaign.

“We are highly impressed by the public response to the clean-up initiative. This time we have witnessed a massive clean-up exercise as we had various teams cleaning,” said Mr Bhasera.

In Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Ezra Chadzamira, Gutu district administrator, Ms Tafirei Chiedza and Environmental Management Agency provincial manager, Mr Milton Muusha led the clean-up campaign at Gutu-Mpandawana Growth Point.

Minister Chadzamira said it was refreshing to note that more people were in support of the call to maintain  clean environments.  

Deputy Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Jennifer Mhlanga led the clean-up exercise in Victoria Falls where she was joined by municipal workers including Mayor Councillor Somvelo Dlamini.

Various tour operators, hotels and other players in the private sector also cleaned their places before converging at the council grounds where the Deputy Minister Mhlanga addressed them.

She commended the Victoria Falls community for taking the clean-up initiative seriously as evidenced by the town’s cleanliness.

Across town, pupils taking part at the 12 schools national basketball tournament at Mosi-oa-Tunya High School started the day by cleaning around the school and nearby streets led by National Association for Secondary Heads district chair Mr Roland Sibanda.