Cities, towns widen anti-litter crackdown
DAR ES SALAAM: CITIES and towns across the country are tightening waste management enforcement as regional authorities roll out tougher measures to improve urban cleanliness and strengthen compliance with sanitation by-laws.
The intensified drive follows President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan’s directive to make cleanliness a national priority, with regional commissioners introducing stricter enforcement measures, contractor accountability and community campaigns aimed at making proper waste management an everyday responsibility.
In Dar es Salaam, Regional Commissioner, Mr Albert Chalamila announced some of the toughest measures, including plans to engage unemployed National Service (JKT) graduates to help enforce waste management by-laws at ward level.
“I have directed all district authorities in Dar es Salaam to urgently establish a mechanism to engage young people who have completed National Service (JKT) training but have not secured employment to become key players in enforcing laws against indiscriminate waste disposal,” he said.
Mr Chalamila said the selected youths would help identify and apprehend people who dispose of waste improperly while ensuring offenders face penalties provided under the by-laws.
Speaking during his tour of the city over the weekend, he ordered district authorities to assess the performance and capacity of waste collection contractors, saying some had been assigned areas beyond their ability, resulting in irregular garbage collection and waste accumulation in parts of the country’s commercial capital.
“This week, every contractor will be required to present the equipment they listed in their work contracts, he said.
Mr Chalamila raised concern over reports of waste being dumped in rivers and other undesignated areas instead of being transported to authorised disposal sites such as Pugu Kinyamwezi.
He directed local government leaders to provide accurate information on waste collection schedules and urged households and public transport operators to keep waste bins.
“The biggest producer of waste is the citizen himself. If we take that message seriously, we will succeed,” he said.
In Dodoma, Regional Commissioner, Ms Rosemary Senyamule abolished the practice of requiring businesses to close on Saturdays for communal cleaning, saying cleanliness should become a daily responsibility rather than a weekly exercise.
She directed local government officials and health officers to conduct routine inspections throughout the week and impose fines on individuals and businesses found operating in dirty surroundings.
ALSO READ: Dodoma Police arrest 418 in wide crackdown
“Let them inspect on Tuesday and, if they find an area dirty, impose a fine. Let them come again on Thursday and take action where necessary. The aim is to make people develop the habit of maintaining cleanliness every day,” she said.
In Mwanza, Regional Commissioner, Commissioner of Police (CP) Salum Hamduni called for joint efforts by political and government leaders, councillors, municipal authorities and residents to reverse the city’s reputation for poor cleanliness.
“Mwanza has been described as a dirty city and that is not a good reputation. We must make sure this reputation changes by working together and establishing a specific programme to ensure our city is clean and safe,” he said, adding that improved sanitation would also help reduce the risk of cholera outbreaks.
Nyamagana District Commissioner, Ms Amina Makilagi launched a 14-day intensive cleanliness campaign covering all 175 streets in the district to encourage behavioural change and restore the area’s reputation as one of the country’s cleanest urban centres.
“Our message is simple, Nyamagana without rubbish, we need change in our district, our wards, our streets, our households and our families. Above all, we need individuals to change their behaviour,” he said.
