The Minister of Health and Child Care, Obadiah Moyo has on Friday embraced the National Clean- Up campaign that was launched by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in December last year.
He led the campaign through a clean- up at Kaguvi Building in the capital.
Moyo said he was elated with the continuity of the campaign since its inception.
“As a Minister of Health, I advise people to maintain the theme ‘Zero tolerance to litter,” since cleanliness is next to Godliness .
“Let us maintain what President Mnangagwa has set for us ,since he declared that the first Friday of each month is going to be a National Cleaning Up Day as his government will ensure that the country has sustainable environment management and waste disposal systems.”
“I am very delighted because this clean- up was a success and it seems like everyone has embraced this and have maintained it as a normal duty to be done every time,” he said.
Environmental Health Services director Victor Nyamandi also weighed in and explained the importance of the clean -up campaign.
“We are observing this day and joining other citizens because garbage in the CBD has accumulated and this can lead to the outbreak of many diseases and we are going to other places like People’s homes after next month.”
“As you can see we are wearing protective clothes and coats so that we don’t get affected by the dirt we are cleaning,” Nyamandi said.
The campaign was launched in 2018 and Mnangagwa declared every first Friday of the month as national clean-up day beginning from 8am to 10am at every home, workplace, public and private institution.
On its launch, he urged the use of non-plastic tools as plastic has proven to be the biggest polluter of the environment.
He took a swipe at those who deliberately throw litter everywhere, saying the law will soon catch up with them.
He said every citizen aged between 10 and 65 is obliged to participate in the national clean-up irrespective of gender, adding that the campaign should be a daily duty for all Zimbabweans 365 days a year in order for it to be sustainable.
The First Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa has been chosen by the host Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry to be Patron of the National Clean-up Campaign.