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Nyemudzai Kakore Herald Reporter
MBARE residents yesterday applauded Buhera South legislator Cde Joseph Chinotimba for undertaking a one-man clean-up campaign in the area and calling for the setting up of a national day dedicated to cleaning cities and other areas. Cde Chinotimba took it upon himself on Wednesday to demonstrate to Harare City Council how the city could improve in terms of cleanliness if they concentrated their efforts on garbage removal.

He used his official parliamentary vehicle to carry the garbage and urged other officials like MPs and councillors to follow suit.

In an interview with The Herald yesterday, Mbare residents hailed Cde Chinotimba’s Operation “Guta Ngarichene” and said everyone should take a cue from him.

“I hail what Cde Chinotimba did for us,” said Mr Israel Nazare. “He educated us that garbage was not good for our health as it helps with the spread of diseases like cholera and malaria.

“I was dumbfounded because it is us Mbare residents who should assist the municipality in safeguarding our environment, but Cde Chinotimba had to leave his busy schedule to educate us.”

Vendors at Mbirimi and Dumbuthsena streets said it was good that Cde Chinotimba had paved the way for the municipality garbage cleaners.

“We are happy that Cde Chinotimba promised that he would make an effort to return with municipal workers to remove all the dirt,” said Mr Webster Muradzikwa. “We are in the business of selling food to customers, so our environment should be clean.”

Mr Keith Bvumbe said it was not proper that the council left the job to legislators instead of being pro-active in cleaning the environment.

“It is not good for a legislator to remove dirt on behalf of the municipality,” he said. “Council has to work hard because they are people who are being paid to do that job. The challenge is that instead of council collecting garbage every day, they are collecting twice a week.”

Other residents said Cde Chinotimba’s proposal for a national cleaning day should be taken seriously by the Government.

That will be a noble idea,” said Mr James Mhambi. “We actually need to have two Saturdays of national cleaning day every month for a start before we slow down to one Saturday every month.”

Harare mayor Mr Bernard Manyenyeni said he was happy that Cde Chinotimba had brought it to the fore that the garbage crisis was national.

“I will support Cde Chinotimba if he is doing it on a sustained basis,” he said. “I will support that we now have a high profile legislator as our key ally.

“However, our temporary alliance with the Buhera legislator collapses if he is merely grandstanding or targeting to embarrass the city which is hosting him.”

During his one-man cleaning campaign, Cde Chinotimba called for the setting aside of a day each month dedicated to cleaning cities and other areas to ensure that the country is free of dirty and avoids the spread of diseases.

“This is a national issue, not only for the city of Harare, it is a national issue,” he said. “Here I am demonstrating, I am giving a sermon to everyone, every MP, every citizen of Zimbabwe, to look after the nation.

“Nyaya yandarwadziwa nayo, Rwanda ine national day rekuti every end of the month, Saturday of each end of the month it’s a national cleaning day. The national cleaning day ndeyekuti even minister of Local Ggovernment joins hands nemi vanhu, munhu wese zvake.

“Motikari yemunhu ani nani inofanira kutakura marara kuenda nawo kuPomona. Saka ini I am doing it kuti, no, are we leaving this mess to the city of Harare only or we are leaving this mess to the nation?”

Cde Chinotimba said leaving the garbage mess to the city of Harare was not helpful.

“If we leave it to the City of Harare only, Mayor Manyenyeni angapopota angadii, but the truth is that the city is dirty,” he said. “Whether or not he can say something against Chinotimba, the councillors can say something against Chinotimba, its not only here, but the whole of Harare is this dirty.

“I am doing it in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe. This is beyond macouncillors, its beyond Mayor Manyenyeni, but kana tichitaura he must understand what we are saying.”