Cheeky monkeys invade Harare’s leafy suburbs
RYAN CHIGOCHE
Cheeky monkeys are wreaking havoc in Harare’s leafy suburbs reflecting an apparent human-wildlife conflict, Business Times can report.
Residents of suburbs such as Highlands, Chisipite, Gunhill and Mandara have expressed concern over the invading monkeys.
They are blaming the negligence of authorities on waste management which has now been left to private people and also the booming human population which is depleting the animals environment.
“Surely interesting things are happening in those neighbourhoods,” the principal research officer at the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), Ntando Nondo, told delegates at an environment meeting in the capital Harare.
Nondo added: “It’s a serious issue of human wildlife conflict. We have got into their space and the only safe haven is where we are unfortunately. The critical drive to this is our current poor waste management which in this case the City of Harare is not handling well.
“The ministry is aware of this issue of waste management and it has been prioritised as one that needs urgent attention. But going forward we have to implement the integrated waste management plan. Let us first deal with our waste at source so that we reduce the waste that goes to the dumpsite , we must do waste separation.”
Local authorities have not been able to manage waste as they lack adequate refuse trucks to service the whole city.
As a result the task has been left to private individuals in the neighbourhoods who will have to collectively mobilise resources to get the job done.
According to a research by EMA, 60% of waste that is being taken to the dumpsites is biodegradable which means that through composting one is able to reduce the amount of waste that is being taken to the dumpsite.
To solve the monkey problem Nondo said the residents must practice waste separation at source level so that it doesn’t attract monkeys.
“The biodegradable waste is what the monkeys are after they don’t want plastics or paper so let us be involved in waste separation at source, and also recycling.”
Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry permanent secretary Munesu Munodawafa said a Statutory Instrument will be gazetted to punish litterers.
“On waste management we are working on a Statutory Instrument to bar people from littering with the penalty being picking litter for the house. Surely we must practice waste management and embrace litter separation,” Munodawafa said.
