In a post-Cabinet briefing yesterday, Information minister
Jenfan Muswere said: “Cabinet highlights that the deplorable state of
cleanliness across the country, particularly in urban areas is 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.”
The national clean-up campaign is held on the first Friday
of each month.
“That 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 supervising the usage of the funds;
“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,” Muswere said.
Meanwhile, government has also activated strategic command
centres throughout the country to actively deal with “unsavoury practices”
within the education sector.
“Such practices include but are not limited to chasing away
pupils for nonpayment of fees, conducting paid-for extra-lessons,
discrimination and corruption in enrolment, use of corporal punishment,
charging of unapproved fees and levies amongst other malpractices,” Primary and
Secondary Education ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said in a statement
last night. Newsday
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