Masvingo City Mayor Chiwara starts lying
Beverly Bizeki
MASVINGO – Politicians are generally pathological liars and it seems the youthful Masvingo City Mayor Shantiel Chiwara has joined the bandwagon as she lied with a straight face that council has since abandoned the Runyararo West dumpsite, which is a health time bomb, for the new Cambria Landfill.
The Runyararo West dumpsite is a disturbing scene, with the atmosphere clogged by a choking smoke, houseflies coming from all directions as fresh garbage is dumped by city council on road sides including huge deposits of used diapers, and just across the road are houses where innocent children run around these heaps of garbage without knowledge of the simmering health hazards.
This, however, seems not to trouble the city mayor Chiwara who chose to lie that the Runyararo West dumpsite is no longer a ticking health time bomb saying they have since abandoned it for Cambria Landfill where she said they are now dumping the garbage.
Responding to residents in one of the many WhatsApp groups for Ward 2 recently, Chiwara who is the also the councilor for the ward said the fire that was causing smoke in Runyararo West was caused by people who are still scavenging for goodies dumbed a long time ago since council no longer uses the dumpsite.
“Kanzuro haichashandisi dumpsite yekwamaparanyanga yavakushandisa itsva (Council is no longer using the Runyararo West dumpsite; it is now using the new dumpsite (Cambria Farm).
“Zvekupiswa zvatoitikako muzuva ranhasi hazvisi pamutemo nekuti kwakavharwa. Mukaona kwasimuka zvakare chimwe chiutsi kasikai kutizivisa tichengetedze hutano hwevanhu (Setting the dumpsite on fire is illegal because the dumpsite is closed, so please alert us on time if there is another fire so that it can be put out in order to protect the health of the people,” said Chiwara.
Masvingo City Deputy Director for Health and Environmental Services Sithabile Matava, however, exposed mayor Chiwara’s lies as she revealed that council is still dumping garbage at the Runyararo West site.
Addressing residents and journalists at a press club discussion organized by The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) recently, Matava said council is still in the process of purchasing equipment for the new landfill.
“We are still purchasing machinery for the landfill and that is why we are still using the old dumpsite, when we take waste to the landfill there must be a machine to compress the waste and another machine to cover it to avoid flies while it rots so council is still in the process of purchasing this machinery, hence we are slowly moving to the new dumpsite,” said Matava.
With the province grappling with cholera cases in Chiredzi, Zaka Bikita and Gutu, residents in Runyararo west are living in fear that they may fail to contain the outbreak if it hits them.
Residents were irked by mayor Chiwara’s white lies as they see council garbage vehicle trucks to and from the dumpsite almost every day.
“We voted for these councilors so that they represent us and give us feedback but the mayor decided to lie to us. It’s only a few months since councilors were sworn in, and to imagine we will be fed with lies for the next five years boggles my mind. It’s pathetic,” said Onelia Sagope.
“It has been a week now since the fire started we cannot open our windows and doors for fresh air in this hot weather condition because the smoke will choke our children especially those with chronic illnesses,” she added.
Another resident Peter Mutetwa from the same area said council must find a plan to drive away street urchins living at the dumpsite who are alleged to be responsible for starting the fires.
In a statement council once said it had plans to build a school at the former dumpsite as has been done at former dumpsites like Runyararo Primary School as a rehabilitation plan for the land there.
