Stop running battles with vendors

KWEKWE – Local authorities should be innovative and come up with sound revenue collection strategies instead of engaging in running battles with desperate vendors who are critical players in the attainment of an upper-middle income economy goal before 2030.

Speaking during the first Midlands province clean-up campaign in 2024 at Mbizo vegetable market, Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Owen Ncube said he was worried with the trend of running battles between vendors and local authorities.

“We fully support revenue collection by local authorities as it is the basis upon which service delivery is built. However, local authorities should be innovative in creating revenue streams like developing proper vending sites and regularise them in order to collect revenue and avoid running battles with vendors,” he said.

Minister Ncube took a swipe at rogue municipal police and space barons who demand bribes from
vendors.

“The practice by some rogue municipal police and space barons who fleece vendors by demanding and
receiving bribes from desperate vendors should end as the full wrath of the law will be applied without fear or favour,” he said.

The government, the Minister said, is working on strategies that will bring everyone on board on issues of waste management through institutional and legislative reforms to make clean-up campaigns mandatory and the illegal disposal of waste to be a punishable offence.

Minister Ncube urged local authorities to ensure enforcement of waste management by-laws to curb illegal waste dumping.

He said business centres should have waste pickers and infrastructure that promotes litter collection, separation and recycling.

“Proper dumb sites should be made a priority in 2024 as we pursue a clean environment and modern
management of litter,” he said.

Minister Ncube urged Zimbabweans to unite and work towards a clean environment to promote the
image of built-up areas, attract tourism, trade and investment.

He said Midlands has not not been spared from Cholera, which has been worsened by uncollected garbage and flooding urging ed local authorities to provide clean, safe water to residents in order to fight the Cholera outbreak.

Kwekwe Mayor Councillor Albert Zinhanga hailed the government’s clean-up initiative and pledged to improve waste management to help fight Cholera and water-borne diseases in the city.