News / National
Second-hand clothes behind Harare bed bug terror
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A growing bed bug infestation in Harare has triggered widespread concern among residents, with second-hand clothing identified as a possible cause of the outbreak. Health experts and civic leaders are now urging the City of Harare to take immediate action to contain the situation before it escalates into a citywide - and potentially national - health crisis.
The infestation was first reported two weeks ago at the Matererini Flats in Mbare, one of Harare's oldest and most densely populated suburbs. Since then, the pests - commonly known as tsikidzi or intwala - have spread to other high-density areas including Mabvuku, Kuwadzana, and Budiriro.
The Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Associations (ZCIEA) has called for urgent intervention by municipal health authorities. Wisbon Malaya, the organisation's secretary-general, said fumigation of affected areas should be prioritised and that residents should be empowered to produce homemade fumigation solutions.
"We urge the City of Harare Health Department to consider engaging in serious bed bug control, including training on manufacturing homemade bed bug fumigation chemicals so that many people can fumigate their homes," Malaya said.
He also urged informal traders to temporarily halt the sale of second-hand clothing suspected to be infested and called on public transport operators to disinfect their vehicles daily.
The informal clothing trade, particularly the storage of garments in infested flats overnight, has come under scrutiny, with city officials and health advocates pointing to it as a likely transmission vector.
Harare mayor Jacob Mafume acknowledged the link between the outbreak and the second-hand clothes market, suggesting that some of the garments may have been infested while in storage or transit. He assured residents that the city would take steps to fumigate affected areas.
Civic leaders have criticised the local authority's slow response to the outbreak, attributing the crisis to long-standing neglect of basic service delivery. Reuben Akili, director of the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA), said poor living conditions in Mbare were a key factor in the spread of the pests.
"Two years ago, CHRA went to court over the squalid living conditions in Mbare," Akili said. "We have always said the City of Harare needs to take a proactive approach. It's not enough to react to outbreaks—they must implement the court order and begin offering services to the 59 blocks of flats in Mbare."
Similar sentiments were echoed by Chitungwiza Residents Trust director Alice Kuveya, who warned that the infestation could spread beyond Harare if left unchecked.
"The way they ignore service delivery issues is the same way they are ignoring the bed bug issue," Kuveya said. "The local authority must act urgently before this becomes a national disaster."
As calls for action grow louder, pressure is mounting on the City of Harare to step up pest control efforts and address the deeper service delivery failures that have enabled the infestation to thrive.
The infestation was first reported two weeks ago at the Matererini Flats in Mbare, one of Harare's oldest and most densely populated suburbs. Since then, the pests - commonly known as tsikidzi or intwala - have spread to other high-density areas including Mabvuku, Kuwadzana, and Budiriro.
The Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Associations (ZCIEA) has called for urgent intervention by municipal health authorities. Wisbon Malaya, the organisation's secretary-general, said fumigation of affected areas should be prioritised and that residents should be empowered to produce homemade fumigation solutions.
"We urge the City of Harare Health Department to consider engaging in serious bed bug control, including training on manufacturing homemade bed bug fumigation chemicals so that many people can fumigate their homes," Malaya said.
He also urged informal traders to temporarily halt the sale of second-hand clothing suspected to be infested and called on public transport operators to disinfect their vehicles daily.
The informal clothing trade, particularly the storage of garments in infested flats overnight, has come under scrutiny, with city officials and health advocates pointing to it as a likely transmission vector.
Harare mayor Jacob Mafume acknowledged the link between the outbreak and the second-hand clothes market, suggesting that some of the garments may have been infested while in storage or transit. He assured residents that the city would take steps to fumigate affected areas.
Civic leaders have criticised the local authority's slow response to the outbreak, attributing the crisis to long-standing neglect of basic service delivery. Reuben Akili, director of the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA), said poor living conditions in Mbare were a key factor in the spread of the pests.
"Two years ago, CHRA went to court over the squalid living conditions in Mbare," Akili said. "We have always said the City of Harare needs to take a proactive approach. It's not enough to react to outbreaks—they must implement the court order and begin offering services to the 59 blocks of flats in Mbare."
Similar sentiments were echoed by Chitungwiza Residents Trust director Alice Kuveya, who warned that the infestation could spread beyond Harare if left unchecked.
"The way they ignore service delivery issues is the same way they are ignoring the bed bug issue," Kuveya said. "The local authority must act urgently before this becomes a national disaster."
As calls for action grow louder, pressure is mounting on the City of Harare to step up pest control efforts and address the deeper service delivery failures that have enabled the infestation to thrive.
Source - newsday
