River Valley Properties Gears Up National Presidential Clean-up Campaign in Gweru

By Staff Reporter

Rivervalley Properties led by Chief Executive Professor Smelly Dube and Senior Executives including Finance Director, Richard Chiwara on Friday 1st August once again joined the national Presidential clean-up campaign in Gweru’s Woodlands suburb that is set to be turned into a gated community soon.

More than 100 residents turned up for the clean up campaign aimed at promoting cleanliness and environmental sustainability. The residents and other volunteers during the exercise put their hands together in clearing litter, unblocking drains, and collecting waste in the neighbourhood.

River Valley Properties which developed the suburb in conjunction with the Zimbabwe Government and the local authority in Gweru provided gloves, refuse bags, and tools to support the efforts.

His Excellency President Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, recognizing the Constitutional Mandate to uphold environmental fundamental rights and freedoms provided for in Section 73 of the constitution of Zimbabwe the “right to an environment that is not harmful to their health and well-being”, in 2018 declared that every first Friday of each calendar month is a National Clean-Up Day.

River Valley Finance Director Mr Richard Chiwara is joined by company staffer during the clean up campaign

The initial commemoration was held on December 5th 2018, at Takashinga Sports Club in Highfield, Harare led by the President of Zimbabwe, His Excellency Dr. E.D Mnangagwa.

Accordingly, River Valley Properties on Friday kept alive the spirit of creating a clean, safe and healthy environment and encouraged that it be the duty of every individual in Woodlands to clean their surrounding areas be it places of work, education, religion, recreational and residential premises to manage waste management.

The world is moving towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and Zimbabwe certainly contributes to this vision as shown by the Government led in declaring a National Clean-Up Day.

Addressing waste management challenges that have risen and proven to be a thorn in the side worldwide contributes to the achievement of the vision of SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production respectively.

Furthermore, the country is on its way to fulfil its commitments under multilateral environmental agreements that address pollution such as the Stockholm, Basel, Bamako, Rotterdam as well as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. In addition declaration of the National Clean-Up Day is a step in the right direction in curbing problems arising from waste.

Residents in Woodlands thanked River Valley Properties and Prof Smelly Dube for initiating the clean up campaign in keeping with the Presidential declaration.

“This clean up came a few months after Prof Dube took time off her busy schedule to be on the ground and oversee some rehabilitation works in person, where there was work done on drainage systems through installing advanced support systems. We therefore appreciate these initiatives,” said a resident.

During the clean up campaign, residents were encouraged not to dump or place any foreign objects in storm water drains and also sewer systems as this leads to blockages that at times cause back flows.

River Valley Properties technicians and management have also been leading on sewer systems maintenance works to clear sewer lines of blockages using heavy earth moving machines from the private company as well as maintain roads in the area.

These exercises have therefore contributed to achievement of the Zimbabwe National Human Settlements Policy (ZNHSP) with a target to deliver 220 000 housing units by 2025 as prescribed under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) aimed at contributing towards realizing Vision 2030. Woodlands residents who joined the clean up campaign were also given some food handouts.