by Gift Mashoko
Mbare is one of the oldest towns to be built in Harare. It has the popular Mbare Bus terminus where most long distant buses load and offload. Most farmers from all over the country bring their produce for sale at Mbare musika making it a hub for farm produce (fruits and vegetables) in bulk, making Mbare the place with the most refuse and population. The largest second hand clothes market is also present in the area at the Mupedzanhamo, making Mbare a very busy place.
Harare City Council have been caught napping when it comes to service delivery in Mbare. Solid waste can be seen at every corner and sewer flowing from burst sewer pipes in the Matapi flats area has become the norm as children would be playing bare footed in this dirt and bacteria infested environment. It seems people are now leaving comfortably and in harmony with dirt. Public toilets are not even functioning or not being cleaned at all yet there are so many people who pass through Mbare daily subjecting people to diseases like typhoid and cholera.
Over the years, a lot of informal businesses have been sprouting. A lot of families are now living in Mbare and the area is now overpopulated as it was built for migrant workers and the flats had been built to accommodate men only but now it is home to many married couples and their families. Infrastructure like the sewerage pipes, buildings and roads have become strained due to the high population. Mbare has become one of the worst affected by solid waste, air pollution from the burning of waste since Harare City Council does not collect waste anymore.
Harare City Council is not performing it’s duties but expect residents to pay rates for non-delivered service.
Mbare should be given the first and highest priority when it comes to service delivery. One wonders what the city fathers are really doing for the residents of Harare. Misplaced priorities, corruption and being selfish have occupied the halls of the town house. You see the Harare City Council officials driving flashy cars and living the high life but they do not seem to care or worry about the state of the City, they do not seem to care about the people who placed or voted them into the positions they are in today. Hence, voters should vote wisely on the 30th of July to remove all the deadwood councillors who have failed Harare residents.
