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Dr Tendai Mahachi

Peter Matambanadzo Senior Reporter
PEOPLE who throw litter everywhere will pay heavy fines or perform community service, says Harare City Council in proposals to be effected soon to curb illegal dumping of litter.Government has directed local authorities across the country to immediately review city by-laws to penalise litterbugs.

Harare Town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi last Friday said culprits would be fined between US$20 and US$100, or alternatively perform community service after going through the court.

“Yes, we have by-laws, but they were not punitive enough hence we will send our proposal to the Government so that we can have them enshrined in the Urban Councils Act,” Dr Mahachi said.

“In terms of fines for littering, we will propose say US$20 to US$25 for individuals, US$50 for commuter omnibus operators and US$100 for bus owners and companies. These are only proposals.”

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Cde Ignatius Chombo, announced at the launch of Government’s mega clean-up campaign at Mbare Musika last week which was led by Senior Minister of State Cde Simon Khaya Moyo that the new laws would make littering a crime.

This comes in the wake of increased illegal dumping of litter at undesignated places in the city, residential areas and industry, creating breeding places for disease vectors such as flies, mosquitoes and rodents.

“We have instructed all local authorities to review their by-laws so that littering is a crime and that you can be punished for it,” he said.
Cde Chombo said businesses littering as well as public transport operators without bins in their vehicles would be penalised.

“We want to make sure that the business of cleanliness is a national business. Even in the residential areas, we want to make sure that the home owner extends beyond his boundary to make sure he cleans, he cuts the grass and picks up litter to the roadside,” Cde Chombo said.

He said the local authority can come up with a plan of rewarding persons taking care of  grass around their properties and lighting of their front gates.

Cde Chombo said Harare City Council has acquired 46 new refuse trucks, while 30 others needed minor repairs and challenged communities to assist council so that the vehicles can be fully utilised.

Cde Khaya Moyo said the team, including Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Cde Walter Mzembi, Defence Minister Cde Sydney Sekeramayi, Gender and Community Development Minister Cde Oppah Muchinguri and Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Harare Metropolitan Province, Cde Miriam Chikukwa were part of the clean-up campaign and had come to support Environment, Water and Climate Minister Cde Saviour Kasukuwere.

“We are supporting the minister with a number of ministers to demonstrate that cleanliness doesn’t start at the top, we do it at all levels. This is what we want to remind our people.”

Cde Khaya Moyo said the MDC-T led council had neglected cities since 2008 and Zanu-PF would ensure every citizen participates and keeps the environment clean.

“With these public awareness raising campaigns, we hope we will go a long way in ensuing a zero litter and disease free environment,” Cde Moyo said.

Cde Kasukuwere said the clean up was aimed at ensuring cities are cleaner and reduce water borne diseases.
“What we are aiming at is to ensure that our cities and our environment are clean we are picking up litter today as a show of commitment by the national leadership that we must maintain a clean environment,” he said.

“Post rain season water borne diseases are due to increase and one of the things that they acerbate is health challenges that are dirty and this is what we are doing,” he said.

Cde Kasukuwere said this national effort would be extended to other parts of the country.  Cde Muchinguri said the presence of the ministers demonstrated the Zanu-PF Government’s seriousness to have a clean environment at household level, community level and at national level.

“For us women cleanliness is a virtue, it starts with me. It starts with you and its starts with all of us. We need also all of us to carry-forward this slogan that it starts with all of us. A clean environment starts in the home,” Cde Muchinguri said.

“Cleanliness is next to Godliness so we are saying mothers are responsible for socialising and this is a virtue that we should carry with us all the time”.

The ministers and other senior Government officials including those from Parks Wildlife Management Authority, Environment Management Authority cleaned Mbare Msika as early as 9am.

The ministers interacted with travellers and bus crews at one of the country’s busiest ranks to raise awareness on the need to keep the country clean.

The team appealed to corporates who are the largest environment polluters to adopt sound sustainable waste management value practices.