Vusumuzi Dube
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
THE Government is set to promulgate a Statutory Instrument (SI) that will make the National Clean-Up Programme compulsory as one of the measures to curb the unsustainable accumulation of waste across the country.
Cabinet on Wednesday considered and adopted measures to address the solid waste management challenges across the country, especially in urban areas, as presented by the Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu.
Presenting a post-Cabinet media briefing yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere said the deplorable state of uncleanliness across the country, particularly in urban areas was due to local authorities’ ineptitude and negligence in collecting and managing solid waste disposal.
“On its part, central Government has made interventions to redress the situation, including introduction of the National Clean Up Campaign in 2018 and declaration of a State of Disaster in Harare Metropolitan Province in 2023.
“An Emergency Solid Waste Management Programme is currently being implemented under the State of Disaster declaration. However, noting that the mismanagement of solid waste persists, Cabinet approved measures to curb the unsustainable accumulation of the waste,” he said.
The measures include a SI that will be promulgated to make the National Clean Up Programme compulsory for Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, local authorities, the business sector, vendors, retailers and manufacturers.
He said the local authorities should localise the SI by promulgation of the relevant by-laws.
The Minister said funds collected by local authorities from residents for waste management will be ring-fenced in order to ensure that the authorities do not divert the funds to other uses, with the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) supervising the usage of the funds.
He added: “The deterrent fines for public littering will be introduced and enforced and repeat offenders charged with no option of a fine but given mandatory community service. Road and rail authorities will be compelled to ensure that road and rail servitudes are litter-free and to undertake regular clean-ups along the servitudes and at lay-bys.
Minister Muswere said public transport vehicles that dump waste along roads shall be fined up to Level 8 with the responsible transport operator or owner also being liable.
He said all political parties should be compelled to mobilise their constituents to remove their campaign materials from the environment and ensure that it is properly disposed of with the assistance of local authorities.
The Minister said massive awareness and education programmes and be undertaken, starting with a re-launch of the National Clean Up Programme in order to embed a mindset against littering and general disorder.
“In the medium-term, more efficient usage and disposal of plastic carrier bags and PET containers will be promoted in order to address the challenge of plastic waste.
“Long-term measures include increased waste recycling business and introduction of levies to deter the importation of materials such as plastics and disposable nappies whose management of post-consumer use is problematic. The education curriculum will also have deliberate learning programmes on cleanliness and management of waste from the lowest levels going up,” he said.
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