Harare, (New Ziana) – Harare City waste management is set for privatization after government approved the plan on Tuesday. Harare has been struggling to effectively provide waste management around its environs leading to the sprouting of mountains of uncollected garbage in every conceivable corner of the capital city and streams of effluent in the Central Business District (CBD), industrial and residential areas.

These twin evils have spawned the outbreak of waterborne diseases that include dysentery, diarrhea and cholera which have killed sizable numbers of people.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere said Cabinet on Tuesday approved an update on the Proposed Privatization of the Harare Waste Management that was presented by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe.

“I would like to highlight that, in terms of the 2nd and 3rd schedules of the Urban Councils Act, Harare City Council is obliged to remove and treat effluent, refuse, and human waste within council area. Despite the Harare City Council levying and collecting rates for the purpose of waste management and having adequate legislative provisions to support such functions and operations, it has continuously failed to provide functional systems for solid waste management,” he said.

“The failure is evidenced by the existence of heaps of uncollected garbage and mushrooming illegal dumpsites all over the city. The Harare City Council has also formally requested that the Central Government take over the collection of solid waste management, citing the local authority’s inability to perform the mandate as expected. The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works is now working on putting in place functional systems, companies and institutions to collect refuse.”

New Ziana