Garwe Orders Immediate Action on Urban Cleanliness...

Garwe Orders Immediate Action on Urban Cleanliness Following Presidential Displeasure at Rufaro Stadium

Oscar J Jeke

Zim Now Reporter

Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe has directed all municipalities to urgently address sanitation and cleanliness issues, following what President Emmerson Mnangagwa described as an “unpleasing” scene at Rufaro Stadium earlier this week.

“You may want to know that on a Tuesday, His Excellency drove to Rufaro Stadium. And what received him there was not pleasing. And we were given a directive yesterday, which we must implement as we leave this room,” Garwe told officials.

The minister emphasized the urgent need for local authorities to tackle persistent sanitation lapses. “In every local authority, we must with immediate effect deal with the issues of litany. Litany, litany, litany,” he stressed, underscoring the President’s concerns.

Garwe noted that while support from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Z-Therapy would be valuable, municipal police are equipped to enforce compliance. “We should be able to enforce our bylaws and ensure that people clean wherever they’re operating from. We don’t need the policemen with handcuffs to do that. It’s our responsibility,” he added.

The directive comes as part of a broader government push to maintain hygiene standards and public safety in urban areas, particularly at public venues and business premises.

To resolve the matter, minister Garwe on Friday commissioned 20 refuse compactors as part of a larger fleet of 85 refuse collection vehicles that will be hired out to Local Authorities to improve service delivery. The equipment will be managed by a Local Authorities Technical Support Unit housed in the Ministry.