After months of
laughing at Harare’s viral memes of people battling bed bug infestations,
reality has struck Bulawayo.
The biting
beasts are now sinking their fangs into residents of Block 46 and the flats
behind Patapata Beer Garden, leaving a trail of itchy bodies, sleepless nights
and rising frustration.
When a
Chronicle news crew visited the area, a woman from Block 46, with face, neck
and hands covered in red welts, was scratching furiously as she relived her
agony.
“These bugs have turned our lives into a nightmare,” she said. “We haven’t had a peaceful night in weeks. They bite my kids too. We’ve tried everything. Nothing works.”
The bites are
bad. The embarrassment is worse. Some residents say the shame is keeping them
silent.
“This is hard
to talk about,” said Miss Siphiwe Moyo, another victim. “People will laugh at
you. But we are suffering.
We are tired.
We can’t sleep at all. These bugs are winning.”
Residents said
they’ve alerted the Bulawayo City Council, only to be told to pay US$47 per
household for fumigation which many said they cannot afford.
“That amount is
simply out of reach for most of our elderly residents,” said Ward 9 residents’
chairperson, Mr Stanslous Dube.
“The
infestation is real. Block 46 and the flats near Patapata are the worst-hit.
People are begging for help.”
Ward Secretary
for Environment, Mr Dumisani Moyo, added: “This problem is spreading, and many
are too ashamed to report it. We’re appealing to Government to intervene.”
Ward Councillor
Donaldson Mabutho promised to visit the affected areas. Bulawayo Mayor Clr
David Coltart said he had not received a report on the bed bugs infestation.
What started in
Harare has now spread to Bulawayo. In Harare, entire suburbs have been battling
the bugs since early this year. Now, experts warn that if left unchecked,
Mpopoma’s outbreak could spread to other suburbs.
The Ministry of
Health and Child Care, together with councils and pest control firms, has
launched fumigation campaigns at schools and hospitals across the country, with
mixed results.
“Many people
are boiling water, using paraffin, or experimenting with other homemade
remedies but bed bugs are tough. They hide in furniture, clothing, luggage, and
they’re spreading fast,” said a health official who refused to be named.
Warm
temperatures make things worse, so residents are relatively better-off in
winter. Heat speeds up their breeding, and Zimbabwe’s dry season gives them the
perfect environment to multiply and invade more homes.
This is not
just a Zimbabwean disaster. Bed bugs are a global menace. Paris was in panic
during the 2023 Fashion Week as hotels and trains were crawling with the bugs.
New York, Chicago, London, Johannesburg, Mumbai and Sydney have all reported
major outbreaks in homes, cinemas, hospitals and transport systems.
Once they
strike, bed bugs are almost impossible to eliminate without professional
fumigation, and even then, re-infestation is common if communities don’t act
together.
Health experts
are calling for a national emergency response, warning that the pests are more
than just a nuisance. They cause mental stress, insomnia, and long-term skin
problems. More worryingly, their presence highlights gaps in urban sanitation.
As for
Mpopoma’s residents, the memes have stopped being funny. Chronicle
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