Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has urged Zimbabweans to transform and change attitudes on irresponsible behaviour on waste and litter management issues to enhance a clean and hygienic environment that also helps in managing water borne diseases.
President Mnangagwa in December 2018 declared the first Friday of each calendar month, the National Environment Cleaning Day, as Government moved to ensure the country has sustainable environment management and waste disposal systems.
In a statement on Thursday, the organisation’s environmental education and publicity manager Ms Amkela Sidange said the basics to a clean environment revolves around people’s positive behavior and attitudes hence the firm belief that it takes the mindset of the people to keep the environment clean.
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However urban areas continue to sing the blues with residents throwing litter wherever they feel.
She said the declaration by President Mnangagwa of a National day of Clean up in December 2018, gives every Zimbabwean a religious mandate to keep a safe and clean environment all the time.
“The new year presents an opportune time for all citizens of this beautiful country to have a broader perspective on the integrity of the environment especially the huge benefits drawn from living in a
wholesome clean environment,” said Ms Sidange.
“Again, this calls for everyone to think in retrospect on individual contribution one has made towards keeping the environment clean.
Waste disposal systems need to be sustainable such that personal and national hygiene becomes a culture.
“This is without ignoring the fact that the basics to a clean environment revolves around our positive behavior and attitudes hence the firm belief that it takes the mindset of the people to keep the environment clean.
“On the 5th of December 2018, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, (President ED Mnangagwa) made a milestone in the history of waste management when he declared every First Friday of every month a National clean-up day.
“The declaration gives each Zimbabwean citizen a religious mandate to partake in the cleaning up of the environment every First Friday of the Month between 0800hrs and 1000hrs”.
The official also called for Zimbabweans to go out in their numbers and clean up their environs to mark the first national day of clean up on Friday.
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Cities and towns need to seriously take to the next level the national clean-up campaign and help improve lives of urbanites.
She said cleaning can be done from household level starting with the
immediate surroundings, as well as at community level, places of worship, institutions of learning and workplaces among other areas.
Ms Sidange said every citizen had the full responsibility of keeping the environment clean and of the protection of the environment in its total landscape.
“EMA wants to remind the nation that 3 January 2020 is a National Clean Up day. Of major interest about this particular Clean-Up day on the 3rd of January 2020, is that it coincides with the dawn of a new year and is the First National Clean Up day in 2020, with a potential to usher in a culture of cleanliness in the country that will be maintained throughout 2020 and beyond,” she said.
Ms Sidange said some of the major clean up venues in and around Harare include Kuwadzana 2 shopping centre, servitudes of Bindura road going towards Mazowe from Harare led by the Transport Sector, Mawambo shopping centre in Ruwa and Rhodesville.
For the rest of the country, she said cleaning will also take place at several venues across the country’s major towns, growth points and service centres.
– HERALD
