Story by Memory Chamisa
Harare residents have bemoaned the poor service delivery exhibited by the local authority which has resulted in a cholera outbreak in the capital city.
As the government seeks to provide a clean environment for its citizenry, Glen View and Glen Norah suburbs in Harare have become the latest areas to take part in a cleanup blitz meant to restore order through clearing dumpsites, road servitudes, sanitary lanes and ensuring sustainable waste management.
The blitz follows a Cabinet directive to restore order in Harare, through the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry and the Environmental Management Agency.
With a population of more than 40 000, Glen View and Glen Norah suburbs are some of the areas that have recorded cholera cases in the capital city.
The suburbs have been at the receiving end of poor service delivery by the Harare City Council, coupled with water challenges.
A resident told the ZBC News, “The collection of refuse and clean up must not be a one-off thing, but at least 3 times a week is reasonable to ensure that we avoid these cases of cholera being recorded here.”
Another said, “The city council has failed us time and again, when you pay for a service delivery, you must get that service. What is happening now is not what is supposed to be done, we can not be doing their work.”
“We are grateful to the government and EMA for the initiative but going forward, mechanisms must be put in place to ensure there is consistency in refuse collection and water supply,” another resident said.
For the government, the success of this exercise is anchored on strengthened enforcement and compliance, education and awareness as well as regular and timely collection of waste to ensure a clean Harare.
The Deputy, Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Honourable Barbra Rwodzi noted, “The local authority has completely failed the residents, and as the government, we cannot just fold our hands and let this get out of hand. These suburbs have cholera cases and the situation has been made worse by the slack in refuse collection and water supply. The blitz is ongoing for a month and will cascade to other towns and cities as we restore order and ensure the environment and health of our citizens are protected.”
The Second Republic has taken over most of the key responsibilities for local authorities, including road rehabilitation, with the Presidential Borehole Scheme also having eased water challenges in most parts of the country.
