City of Masvingo signs Landmark Agreement with Environmental Management Agency

Friday the 26th of March 2021 witnessed Masvingo City Council signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Environmental Management Agency for the development of harmonious and cooperative relations with the purpose of ensuring the protection and cleanliness of the environment within the city as well as enforcement of all environmental laws and regulations within Masvingo City Council’s jurisdiction.
The partnership seeks to ensure that Masvingo City transforms itself and becomes a centre of environmental excellence, establishing an Environmental Inspectorate Unit (EIU) manned by Environmental Management Inspectors (EMI) who will be charged with the duty to enforce environmental by-laws in Masvingo City Council’s area of jurisdiction. The partnership includes reviewing of existing Council environmental by-laws and capacitation of the EIU.
True to its vision, ‘An Industrialised World-Class Metropolitan City by 2030’, the MoU reaffirms the Council’s commitment to keeping environments clean. The MoU is therefore aimed at improving the environmental law-enforcement framework for Masvingo City Council hence a committee comprised of Masvingo City Council, EMA, Ministry of Health and Child Care, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, Forestry Commission, ZINWA, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) was formed to review and update existing Council by-laws. This resulted in the production of the draft City of Masvingo Environment (Noise and Nuisance) By-laws.
Over and above all this, the MoU saw the creation of a unit made up of 35 members drawn from all the relevant departments of Council, and also EMA handing over 3 motorcycles to the City of Masvingo to carry out environmental inspections, licensing for environmental pollution and prosecuting where there are environmental offenses.
Apart from the creation of the unit, the team was trained on national environmental law, carrying out environmental inspections, prosecution procedure and the draft by-law. The unit was also trained on how to conduct field inspections and prosecutions.
Present during the signing ceremony were District Development Coordinator’s Office, The Mayor, Cllr C Maboke, Deputy Mayor, Cllr W Mawende, Alderman S Maridza, Councillors, Acting Town Clerk, Eng E Mukaratirwa, Management, Croco Motors Manager, Mr Chawonza, Provincial Environmental Management Agency, Mr M Muusha, EMA officials, members from the Health Department, Transport office, municipal police, procurement, audit, human resources as well as members of the media.