The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has responded to the MIHR 14 January 2021 letter addressed to EMA Bulawayo Province requesting for information on the practical steps that EMA has taken to hold the Bulawayo City Council accountable on litter and sewer management.
According to the EMA response, the Council has received from EMA a total of 34 orders, 7 tickets and 6 dockets were opened since 2011. Surprisingly, in the year 2020 where sewer and litter became rampant in the City, EMA did not issue any order, ticket or open any docket against the local authority. However, the agency says it engaged the BCC who explained that they were facing fuel challenges.
About 3 dockets are still not finalized and the Agency pledged to follow up saying “ the agency will continue to follow up on the pending court cases until they are finalized”.
The Agency also revealed that that they have “started to map the litter dumps in the most affected areas like Makokoba and Mzilikaziso as to prepare orders to serve Bulawayo City Council to clear the waste as the Agency does not condone the prevailing situation in the City” read part of the letter signed by the Provincial Environmental Manager.
MIHR acknowledges EMA for being accountable and will be soon commencing the process of assisting the Agency to map more litter dumps outside the stated suburbs as the issue affects the entire City. The organization also continues to educate residents on environmental rights and the responsibility of avoiding litter dumping.
MATABELELAND INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS 
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