Remember Deketeke
Municipal Correspondent
LOCAL Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe has vowed to sustain the ongoing clean-up campaign in Harare, warning that people returning to cleared areas at night will face fresh operations.
Minister Garwe made the remarks after touring Kamfinsa and PaClide shops, where the Government-led Operation Chenesa Harare is underway.
He said major progress had been made in the clean-up exercise, but some people were returning to areas that had already been cleared.
“There is a lot of progress in the clearing agenda, but what we have noticed is the same people are coming at night, so we are going to have another operation targeting those that are being resistant, who are coming back in these cleared areas at night,” he said.
Minister Garwe said the Government would remain committed to its clean-up agenda, guided by the motto: “Clean, keep clear and clean.”
“We are not going to change, we are not going to look at anyone’s face, we are not going to apologise to anybody. We must clean our cities,” he said.
The Minister said Government was also engaging religious leaders to promote cleanliness and sustainable environments among their congregations.
He said the clergy had agreed to support the programme by educating their congregants on proper waste disposal and the need to stop littering.
“They are now part of this programme. They say they are going to be preaching, starting now, on sustainable environments, on cleanliness, on ensuring that there is no rubbish being thrown all over, no littering, like what we are now used to,” he said.
Responding to concerns over vendors returning to streets immediately after municipal police officers had cleared them, Minister Garwe said Government had a broader plan to address the problem.
“There is a massive plan, but we have not disclosed it now. You just watch this space, you will see what is going to happen,” he said.
He said the authorities would continue engaging those occupying undesignated spaces, insisting that the exercise would be conducted without the use of force.
“We are not going to be fighting anybody. We are not going to use force. We are just going to be, as we have started, very politely and diplomatically, remove people,” he said.
Minister Garwe said the clean-up operation would first focus on removing rubbish before addressing the issue of people occupying undesignated areas.
“We wanted to remove rubbish first, which we are doing. We will now come and remove people. They must go back to their homes. Even those that are here, that are wandering here, they will be removed,” he said.
He said the exercise was being conducted in accordance with local authority by-laws, which residents and authorities were expected to respect.
“The by-laws are very clear on what needs to be done in running our cities. So, we are going to adhere to the by-laws. There is nothing new that we are doing here,” he said.
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