adminTinomuda Chakanyuka Sunday News Reporter
POLITICAL parties and independent candidates who participated in the just ended National Assembly by-elections risk prosecution by Bulawayo City Council for failing to remove campaign posters within the period specified by council by-laws. This comes as Environmental Management Agency (EMA) is also mulling coming up with regulations to govern the sticking of posters, amid concerns over the “threat the posters pose to the environment”.
Bulawayo City Council by-laws stipulate that all posters advertising events should be removed within two days after the advertised meeting or function has ended.
The by-laws also require that no posters be displayed earlier than two weeks before the date of advertised event.
Six political parties and 12 independent candidates contested in five constituencies in Bulawayo metropolitan province and, during the run-up to June 10 polls, put up campaign posters around their respective constituencies.
A snap survey carried out by Sunday News around the five constituencies, Pumula, Mpopoma, Luveve, Makokoba and Lobengula, showed that the election posters were yet to be removed, 11 days after the elections ended.
Also at risk of being charged by the local authority are churches and music show promoters who have become notorious for littering the city with posters promoting their events.
They too often fail to comply with the stipulated directive to remove the posters within two days after the advertised event has ended.
Bulawayo City Council senior public relations officer Mrs Nesisa Mpofu could however not commit to what action council would take against political parties in light of the apparent contravention of the by-laws on posters.
She, however, urged the political parties, churches and music show promoters to comply with council laws.
“Election posters are governed under the Municipal Elections 1958 Display of by-law or the Federal Elections (1958) Display of posters By Law which also governs other posters as well.
“There is a specific time frame for putting up and pulling down. No posters shall be displayed earlier than two weeks before the commencing date of the meeting or function. And all posters, together with the boards to which they are affixed shall be removed within forty-eight hours after the meeting or function.
“They (political parties and others who stick posters) should observe (and) comply with municipal by-laws as appropriate including the following refundable fee, $50, $2 per poster plus 15 percent Value Added Tax (VAT),” she said.
Mrs Mpofu added that according to council by-laws no posters should be displayed without council authority and no posters should be pasted on informative signs.
“All posters shall be fixed to trees by string or wire and no nails or screws shall be used. They shall be displayed singly and no two posters may be displayed within 100 metres of each other,” she said.
Bulawayo deputy mayor Councillor Gift Banda said council would engage political parties and candidates who took part in the election and remind them to remove their posters, before the local authority applies its laws.
He also expressed concern with failure to pay the stipulated fees by political parties and other organisations who promote their events through posters.
“We will obviously engage them (political parties and candidates). It is everyone’s wish to keep Bulawayo clean. The election candidates, as people who aspired to occupy offices of MPs, they should show us their leadership qualities and that they are responsible citizens by complying with council by-laws.
“We have our statutes which we will turn to if dialogue fails,” said Clr Banda.
EMA spokesperson Mr Steady Kangata said the sticking of promotional posters, including election campaign posters, was becoming a threat to the environment as the posters were turning into major drivers of litter, particularly in urban areas.
He said in as much as the regulation of posters was the responsibility of the local authority, his organisation was considering coming up with regulations that control posters.
“Posters are becoming a major driver of litter in the sense that they have a shelf life after which no one takes care of them. They are left to fall off and there is lack of ownership and responsibility.
“Generally it is the responsibility of council through their by-laws to control sticking of posters but as EMA we are considering coming up with regulation for posters,” he said.
Mr Kangata added that EMA would also engage local authorities to encourage them to activate their respective by-laws and start regulating the sticking of posters in their jurisdictions.
Online Reporter