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Tendai Rupapa Senior Reporter
FIRST Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa yesterday took her awareness and clean-up campaigns to Glen View 3, a hotspot of the cholera outbreak in Harare and left residents in the high-density suburb awestruck when she cleared heaps of garbage.
Uncollected garbage and failure by council to supply residents with clean water are some of the reasons attributed to the cholera outbreak.
The First Lady urged residents to practise good hygiene all the time to prevent outbreaks of diseases like cholera.
The First Lady is conducting clean-up campaigns in partnership with Econet Wireless-funded organisation, Higher Life Foundation.
She was in Budiriro on Monday where she did laundry and washed dishes, among other household chores.
In an interview, the First Lady said the fight against cholera was a national responsibility and everyone should to play a role.
“Ndinotenda veruzhinji nekubuda kwavaita tikabatsirana kuchenesa zvimbo ino tichidzidzisana hutsanana kuti tidzivirire zvirwere zvakaita secholera,” she said.
“I urge them all to make use of skip bins and avoid dumping garbage as this will accelerate the spread of cholera. When I interacted with them they told me some of their concerns and the issue of non-collection of refuse was their major highlight.
“I therefore urge the responsible authorities to collect refuse so that piling of garbage is avoided as this will end up as a breeding area for diseases.
“Macompanies mazhinji akabatana neHurumende in the fight against cholera varikuyedza nepavanogona vachitarisa zvakasiyanasiyana kuti vagadzirise zvinhu zvinova zvinokonzeresa cholera.”
Another resident, Mrs Everjoy Chibune, blamed Harare City Council for its lackadaisical approach to the provision of basic services like safe water.
“We are paying water bills yet we do not have tap water. What about the money we are paying for refuse collection, where is it going when they are not collecting refuse?”
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Mrs Judith Pawaringira weighed in saying: “It is so embarrassing to see the First Lady taking it upon herself to clean our community when we should all be practising good hygiene. What she has done for us will linger in our minds for a long time. It is a first of its kind and as Glen View 3 residents we are so grateful.”
After the clean-up campaign, the First Lady toured Glen View 5 Primary School, which was temporarily closed following the recent cholera outbreak.
It has since resumed classes.
School head Mr Jethro Manyawu and his deputy, Ms Betty Jenami, took the First Lady around the school and updated her on developments that have taken place towards the provision of good sanitation.
The First Lady thanked Higher Life Foundation for donating water tanks to the school.
She also thanked companies and individuals who partnered Government in the fight against cholera.
Online Reporter