National Environment Cleaning Day gains momentum in Zimbabwe schools

Walking up and about Harare streets and beyond on every first Friday of the month has become a norm to see the young and old being actively involved in the National Clean-Up campaign. The first Friday of August 2019 was no different with a number of stakeholders from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) and the business community converging at Theatre in the Park-Harare Gardens.  Schools from the non-formal sector under Hatfield-Mbare district attended the clean-up campaign include Valley Crest Academy (VCA), B.E.S.T College, Denmark College, Avenues High school, Forward in Faith Christian College, Vista Vision College, Face to Face Academy, The Good Samaritan, Harare Adventist College as well as Phoenix College. The event started at 08:00 hours and ended at 10:00 hours mid-morning.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Naison the principal Schools' Inspector for non-formal learning, Harare province under the Ministry of Primary and Secondary education argued that it is necessary for learners to have knowledge on how to take care of their environment at the same time putting into practicing that which they know. He further argued that, "we should catch them" referring to the learners who are supposed to have an environmental ethic at a tender age. Mr Naison went on to encourage more of such environmentally friendly grounded activities by the schools which attended the event.

Speaking on the same occasion, Mrs Mangwende addressing the learners just outside Theatre in the Park, Harare Gardens, reiterated on the need for an environmental conservation culture. "Although every first Friday on the beginning of the month has been set aside for making sure that environmental reflections and actions are given special attention, there is need for clean-up steps in everyday life at schools and home," argued Mrs Mangwiro to a big applause from the audience.
 
VCA learners busy cleaning (left) and facilitators from schools which attended the event (right)

Among stakeholders who made the event a success include Clean City, a new business under Cassava Smartech which is part of the Econet group launched in mid-July 2019. Clean City is already living up to its main objective of providing sustainable waste management in urban areas, in partnership with local authorities and the private sector. Mr. C. Tafanehama from Clean City interacted with the writer of this piece for a short time noting that they were ever busy and ready to engage with everyone who has an agenda towards a clean Zimbabwe and the world. Put simply, Clean City is a digital platform used by private waste collection companies to collect rubbish bins from homes and it's also the first of its kind in Africa. Vaya App Africa is the online application which has also made Clean City known to members of the society countrywide and beyond. With a vision to become the top waste management company in Zimbabwe and beyond, Mr Kutadzaushe, Valley Crest Academy Principal acknowledged the central role being played by Clean City in addressing waste management in urban areas as observed from the hard work exhibited on this event.

His Excellency, the president of Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa officially launched the National Environment clean-up campaign in December 2018 under the theme ‘Zero Tolerance to Litter-My Environment, My Pride.' The way citizens have responded to the national clean- up campaign under the New Dispensation has been interpreted as a ‘cleaning legacy' for health living. This is also in line with upholding the Zimbabwe 2013 constitution, Section 73 (Ammendment 20) and section 4(1) of the Environmental Management Act (Cap 20:27) of 2002 which stipulates the following;

"Every citizen has a right to;  a clean environment that is not harmful to health; and protect the environment for the benefit of present and future generations and to participate in the implementation of the promulgation of reasonable legislative policy and other measures that prevent pollution and environmental degradation."

This August, various stations had people converging to deal with the problem of waste management. In Mabvuku-Kamunhu Shopping centre, the First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa who is also the environmental patron led the National Environment Cleaning Day campaign. President E. D. Mnangagwa also led the clean-up event at Ashbrittle Shopping Centre in Harare. The Vice President, V.P Mohadi also took another front in Beitbridge where he led the National Environment Cleaning Day at Pagomba Café in Ward 5. Many other stations across the country had similar activities in this quest for a hygienic society.

Given the various challenges the local authorities are facing, schools, churches and the business community are now offering space for resilience in the Zimbabwe society. The "Sunshine city" dream is only possible with collective effort.  The problem of a bed of litter, chaos and disorder in the cities, communities can however be solved. Experiences from across the region are a clear testimony. In Gaborone, the capital of Botswana has a public court ready to deal with people who are careless with litter. Braamfontein in Johannesburg, Kigali in the Rwandan capital are such places among many that have had a negative reality on cleanliness in cities but now shining beacon on hygiene.  Collective action is vital for Zimbabwe to claim its space in waste management. There is also the need to decongest the city/ cities as Harare which has a population of over four million people and was built during the colonial era with a population less than one million then. The road to sunshine city may appear to be long but it's necessary to pursue against all odd circumstances the country is currently facing.

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Brian Maregedze is an author, historian and columnist. He can be contacted at bmaregedze@gmail.com. He is also a Researcher with Leaders for Africa Network (LAN), a Pan-African research think-tank. Membership with Zimbabwe Historical Association (ZHA). Currently a Tutor at Valley Crest Academy.