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Clean
up Zimbabwe 2011
Environment
Africa
October 17, 2011
The theme for 2011 Clean Up the World Campaign, celebrated globally
in September was 'Our Place ... Our Planet ... Our Responsibility'.
This theme serves to highlight how local action, taken by every
individual or community creates a global impact. Environment Africa
partnered with EMA, the Environmental Management Agency to coordinate
clean up activities countrywide with the intention of spreading
awareness on the role that everyone can play in ensuring a cleaner
environment for all whilst at the same time embracing one of it's
core goals of PPCP's, Private, Public, Community Partnerships. RAZ,
the Retail Association of Zimbabwe are the major sponsors of Clean
Up Zimbabwe which this year, saw over 5000 participants countrywide.
Our key awareness
campaigns were held at Highfield, a high-density suburb in Harare
and Dangamvura, a business retail area in Mutare. Both clean ups
had participation from a wide stakeholder base which included the
Ministry of Environment & Natural Resources Management, Ministry
of Youth, Ministry of Health, ZRP, local Councils, private business
and retail sectors as well as members of the surrounding communities
and local schools.
The focal point
for the Highfield clean up was the clearing of a major water drain
that had accumulated waste over the past 5 years and the surrounding
retail area. Addressing the more than 300 people, guest of honour,
acting Mayor for the City of Harare, Councillor Mtizwa commended
Environment Africa, EMA and RAZ for working together and for supporting
local authority initiatives in trying to restore the city's clean
status. He also thanked RAZ for the donation of fuel to ensure continuity
of waste collection in the area. He highlighted lack of fuel as
one of the major issues that is negatively impacting waste collection
in the high density areas and that the injection of fuel by RAZ
would go a long way in alleviating this problem.
In Mutare, the
main areas of focus for their clean up were the central business
district and the back yards of the shopping centres. The City of
Mutare guest speaker, Direct of Housing, Mr Mapurisa highlighted
the need for the community to protect the environment and to be
proactive in environmental management. He encouraged the community
to partner with the City by planting trees and making use of designated
waste dumping sites so that Mutare could maintain its status of
cleanliness. He also emphasized the need for the community to pay
their rates to the City Council which would help ensure that the
council fulfills its mandate of ensuring a clean and habitable environment.
Community representatives, including local councilors pledged to
continue working within their communities to maintain a litter free
environment. EMA took the opportunity to highlight some of the legal
frameworks that regulate the management of waste which include prohibitions
on throwing litter out of the windows of moving vehicles, illegal
dumping and the use of bins EMA also acknowledged the positive education
awareness work being done by Environment Africa and participating
partners for the benefit of sustainable utilization of the environment.
This was the
first clean up campaign to be held in Dangamvura and overall was
a resounding success with more than 600 people participating and
the commitment already there for Clean Up the World Day in 2012.
For its part, Environment Africa continues to work with all sectors
of society to encourage a litter free Zimbabwe.
Visit the Environment
Africa fact
sheet
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