Opinion / Columnist
Solar energy solving our long standing problems in Harare
21 Jul 2016 at 13:48hrs | Views
The effort by the Harare City Council to establish solar powered street lights is a good development which is mitigating the shortage of electricity in the country. The status of the capital city was reduced alarmingly owing to darkness which was mainly experienced at night.
The country enjoys high temperatures throughout the year which makes the solar project a success to enable us to resolve our long standing problems.
It is quite impressive to note that these solar street lights are already operational along Samora Machel and other streets in the Central Business district (CBD). This project should extend to residential areas where, for example, Tower lights, stopped functioning over a decade ago.
As a result of the absence of proper street lighting, citizens are subjected to evil nocturnal vultures that rob them, murder and cause all sorts of problems which are associated with darkness. There are numerous reports of women that were raped who cited darkness as a facilitator that encouraged the perpetrators to commit such heinous crimes against humanity.
Certainly, city authorities have the moral responsibility to mitigate the incidences of crimes associated with poor lighting in the capital city. Some people are robbed daily in the CBD by thugs and streets kids at night due to poor lighting on the streets.
Apart from the lighting systems, the city council is also challenged to look at the poor drainage system which seems to be lacking attention and regular monitoring. On a rainy day, streets are always flooded with run-off waters making movement of people and traffic difficult. More often than not, parked vehicles have been submerged into water when heavy rains fall. This should stop now to save both private and public property.
In view of this plight, the authorities are also urged to act expeditiously on this aspect to normalise and restore the sun-shine status that Harare was renowned for a few years ago.
The country enjoys high temperatures throughout the year which makes the solar project a success to enable us to resolve our long standing problems.
It is quite impressive to note that these solar street lights are already operational along Samora Machel and other streets in the Central Business district (CBD). This project should extend to residential areas where, for example, Tower lights, stopped functioning over a decade ago.
As a result of the absence of proper street lighting, citizens are subjected to evil nocturnal vultures that rob them, murder and cause all sorts of problems which are associated with darkness. There are numerous reports of women that were raped who cited darkness as a facilitator that encouraged the perpetrators to commit such heinous crimes against humanity.
Certainly, city authorities have the moral responsibility to mitigate the incidences of crimes associated with poor lighting in the capital city. Some people are robbed daily in the CBD by thugs and streets kids at night due to poor lighting on the streets.
Apart from the lighting systems, the city council is also challenged to look at the poor drainage system which seems to be lacking attention and regular monitoring. On a rainy day, streets are always flooded with run-off waters making movement of people and traffic difficult. More often than not, parked vehicles have been submerged into water when heavy rains fall. This should stop now to save both private and public property.
In view of this plight, the authorities are also urged to act expeditiously on this aspect to normalise and restore the sun-shine status that Harare was renowned for a few years ago.
Source - Sparkleford Masiyambiri
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