THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has intensified efforts to improve cleanliness in Harare’s central business district (CBD), urging shop owners, vendors and residents to maintain hygienic surroundings and avoid illegal dumping.
Speaking at a clean-up campaign in the First Street Mall today, EMA Harare provincial manager Mr Leon Mutungamiri said the agency, working together with anti-litter monitors and key stakeholders, had launched the exercise to promote responsible waste management practices in the city.
“As the Environmental Management Agency, we are encouraging shop owners and vendors to ensure that their workplaces remain clean at all times,” he said.
Mr Mutungamiri said the initiative was not only focused on removing litter, but also on engaging businesses directly to ensure the frontages of their premises remain clean and orderly.
He said the campaign sought to instil a culture of cleanliness in the CBD, where businesses and vendors have an important role to play in maintaining a healthy environment.
“By involving stakeholders on the ground, we are reinforcing the message that sustainable waste management requires collective responsibility,” he said.
EMA staff cleaning Simon Vengai Muzenda Bus Terminus
The clean-up exercise was later extended to the Simon Vengai Muzenda Bus Terminus, where EMA worked with transport operators and rank marshals to clean the area.
“We want to have a clean city and a clean CBD. We will continue carrying out these mobile awareness campaigns regularly to encourage people to clean their surroundings,” said Mr Mutungamiri.
“We will be doing this every week to ensure that our city remains clean at all times.”
He said EMA was also complementing the work of waste management partners, including Geo Pomona Waste Management, by identifying illegal dumpsites that require urgent attention.
“As EMA, we are complementing the work being done by Geo Pomona by identifying illegal dumpsites and notifying them so that the waste can be cleared,” he said.
Mr Mutungamiri warned that illegal dumping posed serious public health risks, as uncollected waste creates breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other disease-carrying organisms.
“Areas with illegal dumps are unhealthy and unsightly. Such places become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and can contribute to diseases such as typhoid and malaria,” he said.
He urged residents to dispose of waste responsibly and adhere to waste collection schedules in their communities.
“We discourage residents from dumping waste indiscriminately. People should place litter in bins or designated waste receptacles and wait for collection days in their residential areas,” said Mr Mutungamiri.
“Geo Pomona has a waste collection schedule and has remained consistent in clearing waste in residential areas. Residents should follow the schedules provided.”
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