By Ndumiso Tshuma
Cowdray Park, Bulawayo’s largest suburb, hosts a vibrant community alongside numerous commercial and industrial facilities. Yet, as the population grows, so does a mounting waste crisis, worsened by the Bulawayo City Council’s (BCC) inability to manage waste collection effectively.
Maria Lunga, Chairperson of Cowdray Park Emakhandeni Chapter and a member of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association said BCC’s failure to collect the waste regularly has led to heaps of illegally dumped rubbish that are now common along pathways and storm drains, posing serious health risks to the community.
“We are forced to live amidst piles of rubbish because BCC service trucks don’t pass through areas where waste is excessive due to the distance from main roads,” said Lunga.
In response, Lunga and fellow Cowdray Park residents organised a community clean-up campaign on Wednesday, aiming to address the waste crisis.
“We decided to take matters into our own hands since council trucks don’t reach all wards,” she explained, noting that Ward Six is particularly neglected.
Supported by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), which donated cleaning equipment and educated residents on its use, and BCC, which provided a truck for the event, the community mobilised for a large-scale clean-up effort.
“With EMA’s assistance and BCC’s support, we gathered every piece of litter and ensured it was placed in the city council truck,” Lunga added.
Thubelihle Ncube, a community engagement officer for the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association said the campaign, themed, “Shifting Power to the People” encouraged residents to voice their concerns and take ownership of solutions in their community.
“Our role is to empower communities to recognise and protect their human rights. Cowdray Park residents devised the clean-up campaign and approached us for technical support,” Ncube explained.
Residents took steps to facilitate waste collection, moving trash closer to accessible roads.
“The community agreed that without action, the litter piles would become a long-term disaster, so they brought rubbish closer to the roads to ensure BCC trucks could collect it,” Ncube said.
Ncube added that Cowdray Park’s ongoing efforts underscore critical service delivery issues—water, electricity, and waste management—that are increasingly urgent in urban areas.
“Our role was to offer support, but the people of Cowdray Park, together with stakeholders, led this initiative. Rights to peaceful, clean environments are always at the forefront in urban areas, and residents are now actively addressing the threats to peace in their community,” Ncube concluded.
