The ManicaPost
IN a world where waste management and pollution has grown to become a major hindrance to sustainable economic growth, it is becoming increasingly clear that economic and environmental performance go hand in hand.
The environment in which we live in is central to sustainable economic activity and growth as it provides the resources we need to produce goods and services, as well as absorbing the unwanted by-products.
This explains why it is crucial for us to take care of the environment.
It also underpins the importance of Zimbabwe’s National Clean-up Day, which is observed on the first Friday of each month.
On this day, it is the duty of every individual across the country to clean their surrounding areas − be it places of work, education, religion or residential premises − to manage waste management in the country.
For those two hours running from 8am, every able-bodied Zimbabwean is expected to play a part in cleaning their surroundings.
President Mnangagwa has been leading from the front ever since December 5, 2018 when he set the clean-up campaign in motion.
Only last week, Vice-President Constatino Chiwenga was in Birchenough Bridge as he led other Government officials in the clean-up campaign.
President Mnangagwa was in Shamva, Mashonaland Central, for the same course.
Corporates, including diversified media group Zimpapers, have also joined in making sure that the country’s cities, towns and townships are clean and open for business.
Addressing waste management challenges that have proven to be a thorn in the flesh in the country will contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
To be more precise, SDG 11 speaks about Sustainable Cities and Communities, while SDG 12 calls for Responsible Consumption and Production.
Those SDGs dovetail with the country’s Vision 2030 which seeks to ensure that Zimbabwe acquires an upper middle income economy in the next eight years.
This will be supported by citizens who produce and consume products responsibly, before disposing the waste in the same manner.
However, Zimbabwe is not the only African country that has shown commitment in ensuring sustainable and responsible waste disposal.
In Rwanda, the cleanest country in Africa, it is compulsory for all able-bodied people aged between 18 and 65 − including the President and Cabinet members − to participate in a monthly community service.
During Umuganda – Rwanda’s national clean-up day which is observed every last Saturday of each month – Rwandese sweep the streets of their country and pick up litter from 8am.
Others tend to the well-manicured lawns.
Umuganda is a Kinyarwanda word that means “coming together in common purpose.” Due to this common purpose, Rwanda is renowned for itsremarkable cleanliness and well-paved streets.
In fact, since litter is now so scarce, the people of Rwanda now take up other tasks for community service during the national clean-up day, including repairing roads, houses or cultivating vegetable gardens.
That is the level of patriotism that is cultivated by something as basic as taking part in a national initiative once a month.
Such patriotism is required if Zimbabwe is to take the giant leap into an upper middle income economy.
Therefore, the clean-up campaign doesn’t only guarantee us a clean environment. It also grants us a clear mind-set of who we are as a people and how we intend to achieve our national goals.
If it is an upper middle income economy we want, we have to make sure we pursue Vision 2030 through the steadfast implementation of National Development Strategy (NDS1 – 2021-2025) and then NDS2 (2026-2030).
In between the scores we make along the way to 2030, we will be cleaning our workstations, our homes, our towns and our country.
