Chiwenga leads clean up exercise in Bulawayo

VICE-President Constantino Chiwenga will today lead this month's provincial clean up exercise in Bulawayo as Government intensifies efforts to build sustainable environmental management and waste disposal systems in line with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).

The President declared the first Friday of each month as the National Environment Cleaning Day when all citizens are supposed to clean their surroundings between 8am and 10am.

Launching the campaign on December 5, 2018, President Mnangagwa stressed the importance of unity and harmony to keep the environment clean.

Secretary for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mr Paul Nyoni yesterday confirmed that the Vice-President will attend today's event which takes place at Pumula East Shopping Centre before he later addresses residents at Isilwane Youth Centre in Pumula North.

"The Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga will be the guest of honour for this month's clean-up exercise in Bulawayo.

The programme is expected to start at Pumula East Shopping where the VP will preside over programme before proceeding to Isilwane Youth Centre where he will address residents," he said.

Environmental Education and Publicity manager Mrs Amkela Sidange urged residents to use the day as a window to clean their residential areas.

"The entire country is participating in the clean up from community to provincial level and several cleaning sites have been identified across the country with some being presided over by the Presidium as they take a lead in the campaign.

In Bulawayo, we are expecting Vice President Chiwenga to preside over the clean up with another high-level delegation in Hwange," she said.

"We actually had the First Lady Amai Auxilia Mnangagwa on Wednesday leading in the clean-up week to usher in the National Environment Cleaning Day."

Mrs Sidange called on every citizen to participate and thrive to set the tone towards achieving a clean and safe environment without leaving anyone and any place behind.

"This culture of cleanliness should be entrenched in us and we believe a clean and safe environment is possible through our collective efforts as citizens."

Mrs Sidange said considerable efforts are being channelled towards championing and accelerating the cleaning of the environment agenda in line with the NDS1 on promoting recycling initiatives as well as the global thrust of reducing waste in the environment, and in landfills to embrace green technologies and innovations.

"We appreciate the overwhelming support from the citizenry of Zimbabwe, corporate sector, civic organisation, religious fraternity, Government departments and ministries," she said.