WASTE dumps have reappeared in areas that were recently cleared under Operation Chenesa Harare amid revelations that the opposition-led Harare City Council is failing to collect refuse in most residential areas.The vision to restore Harare’s sunshine city status appears to be nothing but a dream as the city fathers have seemingly failed to find a lasting solution to the refuse collection and waste management chaos.
After the government successfully embarked on an operation to clear waste dumps in Harare, the city council has failed to trace the footsteps in refuse collection.This has resulted in the recurrence of waste dumps in suburbs such as Highfield and Mbare.Residents say they do not have an option since the Harare City Council waste compactors rarely service their areas.
“We are dumping because we do not have an option. Council is not collecting waste from homes,” said a resident.
Another said, “Operation Chenesa Harare is a very welcome development, but the city of Harare must do a follow-up with regards to refuse collection.”
The local authority has admitted to inconsistencies in refuse collection, citing the lack of equipment.
“We do not have enough equipment, we have about 25 compactors that we are deploying yet we require about 60. So, as a long-term solution, we want to acquire tractors so that we can deploy a tractor per each ward,” said Harare City Council Mayor, Councillor Jacob Mafume.
The cholera outbreak prompted the government to intervene and embark on a blitz code named Operation Chenesa Harare that resulted in most waste dumps around Harare being cleared.
