City’s Operation Chenesa Harare to clear illegal d...

City’s Operation Chenesa Harare to clear illegal dumps

Zim Now Writer

The City of Harare has launched Operation Chenesa Harare, which is set to run for three weeks, with the aim of clearing all the illegal dump sites which have formed across the city.

Mayor Jacob Mafume said the three-week operation will be coordinated by District Officers in their respective areas since the most required equipment was bought and is ready for kick-off.

He said the waste management issue has become topical in Harare and council is committed to deal with it.

“Everyone is aware that the issue of waste management model from the colonial era based on land fill, based on an ecosystem which necessitated the upliftment of waste of whatever kind without separating or recycling it, without dealing with it in any manner or form and dump it at a dumping site.

“As you can see many areas, there have been landfills like the Golden Quarry and until recently we are now taking to Pomona without any management,” said Mafume.

Mafume said some of the illegal dumping sites were as a result of the argument between council and the government on Pomona as well as emergence of un-regularised settlements where council has not been collecting refuse.

He added that council will come up with programmes that complement the efforts of central government that issued a national cleaning day, which recognises the role of the community in clean-up participation and behavioural changes.

“Citizens and communities must be placed at the centre of this waste collection model as it gives people control over the environment to participate and maintain its value,” he said.

Mafume said refuse is collected after every two weeks in residential areas while in areas like Mbare, refuse is collected everyday hence not effective to cover industrial areas, leading to the sprouting of illegal dumps.