Mzuzu City Council clears up waste piles

Barely a week after Mzuzu City Council launched its fundraising drive for waste management infrastructure, the council has cleared most refuse which piled up in the central business and residential areas.

The fundraising campaign followed the council’s failure to collect waste city which left refuse piling up in the city due to inadequate waste management equipment.

Since the launch of the fundraiser on Thursday, the council’s  refuse collection team has been in most areas clearing the piled up refuse.

Mzuzu City Council public relations officer Macdonald Gondwe said the council’s refuse collection vehicle has been consistent on the road for the past two weeks clearing refuse.

“The campaign is also helping in creating mindset change on waste management among the residents of the city,” he said.

Gondwe said the council has since come up with a steering committee to oversee the collection of K200 million for the acquisition of waste management equipment within six months.

Chairperson of the steering committee, Anna Msowoya Keys, said Mzuzu City is in dire need of support and resources for waste management infrastructure.

“We have come up with different initiatives to raise funds, including golf tournaments and dinner dance,” she said.

Keys said the council does not collect enough revenue which is affecting its waste management.

The situation exposed residents to the risk of waterborne diseases.

Apart from the waste collection drive, the council has also embarked to a campaign to sensitise the city dwellers on their responsibilities in waste management.