The ManicaPost
Post Reporter
ZIMBABWE Newspapers has joined in the efforts by Government to clean up the country’s towns and cities by purchasing bins for some of Harare’s streets.
This comes at a time when the Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry has embarked on a ‘“Zero Tolerance to Litter — My Environment, My Pride Campaign”.
President Mnangagwa on Wednesday launched the national clean up campaign at Takashinga Cricket Grounds in Highfields.
The move by Zimpapers to donate some bins to the City of Harare for placing in strategic streets around its business premises is therefore meant to compliment Government efforts to promote clean and safe environments.
Zimpapers Group Public Relations and Corporate Affairs Manager Ms Beatrice Tonhodzayi says preserving the environment is one of the key pillars of Zimpapers’ corporate social responsibility initiatives; adding that if the environment is not protected; businesses would not thrive.
“Businesses are only as healthy as the stakeholders and publics that they serve. We have seen an upsurge in diseases like cholera; which are all a result of water and sanitation issues. We therefore see the efforts that Government is making and are complimenting them by making the environment around our workspace clean and safe.
“Littering has contributed to making our cities and town very dirty and unsafe and with these bins; we wish to start the conversation around making them clean so that we live and work in healthy environments,” she said.
The City of Harare aims to achieve world class City status by 2025. This has however, been hampered by littering and lack of clean, safe toilets as well as running water; among other issues.
Solid waste management, air and water pollution are some of the major environmental challenges confronting the country while high population densities, industrialisation and high levels of consumerism have also contributed to waste build-up.
Ms Tonhodzayi said Zimpapers through its multiple platforms would continue working with the Government, Environmental Management Agency and the different cities to push for clean environments.
