Zimpapers Logo

Cde Chimene

Rumbidzayi Zinyuke Manicaland Bureau
GOVERNMENT has urged Mutare City Council to construct a recycling plant at its dumpsite and improve waste management in the city.

Speaking at a clean-up campaign held in Chikanga suburb by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), in partnership with Mutare City Council last week, Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Mandi Chimene said the city fathers should consider engaging a private partner in waste management to ease the financial burden choking the council.

“Council has a lot of work to do, but it cannot do it alone,” she said. “We want a recycling plant placed at the dump site so that people can take the rubbish collected around the town there for sorting and recycling.

“We cannot keep burying rubbish in the ground because it’s a health risk. We need to do all we can to leave our land usable by the next generation.”

Cde Chimene said such a plant would encourage value addition of recyclable waste, creating employment for more citizens in the process.

She urged residents to help council in refuse collection where possible and earn an income for themselves.

“We need volunteers in communities who get paid by council to collect refuse,” said Cde Chimene. “People should not complain that there are no jobs when they can easily help collect rubbish and get paid for it.

“This will also reduce the bill council incurs when they collect rubbish on their own. Mutare women and youths should form teams that will go into town and clean up the area.”

Speaking at the same event, EMA chairperson for thevwaste management committee, Mrs Barbara Rwodzi, said residents should learn to separate their waste at source to avoid the health risks associated with waste that goes for long periods without being col- lected.

She said Mutare should implement the model being used in Bulawayo, where volunteers get paid to collect refuse on council’s behalf.

“Council’s budget is strained, so residents should help it keep the city clean,” she said. “As EMA, we want to use Mutare city as an example of cleanliness. Bulawayo has done very well in waste management and we want to implement the same model here.”

Mutare City Mayor Councillor Tatenda Nhamarare said while council was struggling to keep up with refuse collection timetables owing to tight budgetary constraints, it was committed to improving service delivery.

He said council was in the process of acquiring four refuse collection trucks, which would help ease the burden.

“When we resume refuse collection, I hope residents will cooperate and pay their rates on time to make it easier for us to consistently collect rubbish,” he said.