Budiriro residents dump raw sewage and garbage at local district offices

By Tererai Karimakwenda
06 september 2006

Armed with buckets full of raw sewage and refuse, residents from the Budiriro high-density suburb of Harare marched to their local district offices and dumped their buckets at the chief officer’s door step. The move was to protest poor service delivery and the corrupt commission that they say is running the capital.

This was the first in a planned series of such unusual demonstrations that will be taking place around Harare in the next few weeks. Residents Association spokesman Precious Shumba said Harare residents want to elect their own administrators and restore honour to the city. He said on Thursday it will be residents of Dzivarasekwa who will do the same. This will lead to one final protest at City hall where they will demand the removal of Commission Head Sekesai Makwavarara and municipal elections.

The Combined Harare residents Association released a statement which said: “RESIDENTS here today expressed their anger at the commission running the City of Harare and took to the streets armed with bucketfuls of raw sewerage and litter which they poured at the District Office.

Police in the area were caught unawares and failed to stop the angry residents numbering about 200 that demanded the immediate holding of elections, the quick repair of burst sewer and pipes, and the regular collection of refuse.

The statement went on to say: The demonstration, dubbed “Save Budiriro, Let the D.O Taste It”, started at Budiriro One Shopping Centre. The demonstrators went around the shopping centre carrying their buckets full of sewer and held up placards denouncing the coming running the affairs of Harare.”

Some of the placards read ‘Repair burst sewer pipes’ ‘We want elections now!’ ‘Let the District Officer taste it’ while others demanded the immediate sacking of the Sekesai Makwavarara-led commission.

When the residents got to the Budiriro District Office, they littered the place with the garbage, the raw sewerage and left dozens of fliers saying:

“As residents we are disgusted by the continued presence of raw sewage in our community, as a result of a non-functional sewerage system. It is a health hazard which cannot be allowed to continue.
We therefore as ratepayers demand:

• Immediate repair of burst sewage pipes
• Immediate cleaning and collection of refuse
• The immediate provision of rubbish bins at each household
• Regular collection of refuse bins.

“Our children cannot continue to swim in and to drink raw sewerage. Let the District Officer taste it.”

The demonstrators chanted, shouted and sang revolutionary songs denouncing Local Government Minister Chombo and his puppet commission running the affairs of Harare.

Harare commissioners are Professor Jameson Kurasha, Sekesai Makwavarara, Tendai Savanhu, a Zanu PF central Committee member, Prisca Mupfumira, Zanu PF Central Committee member, Musavaya Reza, the Provincial Administrator, Engineer Noel Muzuva, and Richard Mahachi.

No one was arrested.