Zimpapers Logo

Cletus Mushanawani Mashonaland Central Bureau
MINISTER of State for Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs Monica Mavhunga has called on all local authorities in the province to take advantage of Government policies that ensure housing for all.

Speaking at the World Habitat Day celebrations in Bindura last week, Minister Mavhunga said Government has already put in place housing policies that create an enabling environment.

“As a province, we need to take advantage of these policies and develop our towns and cities to be world class cities as envisioned by our President Mnangagwa.”

She also urged the 10 local authorities in Mashonaland Central to work together to ensure a sustainable solid waste management strategy.

“Households, supermarkets, illegal vendors, hospitals, clinics, surgeries, manufacturing and food industries, residential areas, motor and construction industries are some of the sources of solid waste.

“Solid waste negatively affects the development of our province. Solid waste can result in land pollution, pollution of underground and surface water bodies, harbours pathogens and promotes the spread of diseases like cholera, typhoid, dysentery and malaria.

“They also cause blockages of water and sewer drains among other ills,” she said.

Minister Mavhunga encouraged local authorities to seek funding and develop proper sanitary landfills and strengthen operations of recyclers as they manage solid waste in their areas of jurisdiction.

“Government is fully committed to upholding the right to live in a clean, safe and healthy environment and alter the systems that reinforce poverty.”

She hailed Government for ensuring that the cholera epidemic was put under control.

“This year’s World Habitat Day celebrations come at a time when as a country we are fighting the outbreak of cholera that has hit some of our towns.

“I am pleased to note that Government has this under control.

“However, there is need for us to remain vigilant and fight against such outbreaks by providing better services to our citizens.

“Most developing countries have experienced massive rural-to-urban migration which has resulted in the increase in the urban population.

“The large volumes of the population residing in urban areas have posed a huge challenge to issues such as housing, sanitation, water and waste management.

“Most cities are home to environmental degradation and extreme deprivation, with more than a billion people living in uninhabitable slums,” she said.