Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. SECOND-HAND clothes have been blamed for the bed bugs terrorising Harare residents, with fears that they will spread across the city if the local authority does not implement measures to eradicate the pests.
A massive bed bugs (tsikidzi/intwala) infestation in Matererini flats broke out a fortnight ago.
Trade in second-hand clothes, which are kept overnight in some of the infested flats, visits by friends and relatives from affected areas and poor living conditions have been blamed for the spread of the bed bugs.
The bugs have spread to other high-density suburbs such as Mabvuku, Kuwadzana and Budiriro.
Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Association secretary-general Wisbon Malaya said city fathers should consider fumigating affected areas as a matter of urgency.
“We urge the City of Harare Health Department to consider engaging in serious bed bug control through training on manufacturing homemade beg bug fumigation chemicals so that many people can fumigate their homes,” Malaya said.
“We encourage informal traders not to trade in products that are carrying these bugs for the meantime as a way of managing the situation.
“We encourage public transport operators to fumigate their vehicles daily until the bug war is over.”
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) director Reuben Akili blamed the outbreak on poor living conditions in Mbare.
“The first thing, which we just want to take note of is that two years ago, CHRA went to court because of the squalid living conditions of Mbare residents,” Akili said.
“We have always said even in our statement that the City of Harare needs to consider this issue as a pertinent matter and not just to be reactive, but to be proactive and ensuring that they commence the process of, you know, adhering to the court order and also even starting to offer the necessary services to the 59 blocks of flats in Mbare.”
Chitungwiza Residents Trust director Alice Kuveya said the local authority should take the scourge seriously.
“The way they ignore service delivery issues is the same way they are ignoring the bed bug issue,” Kuveya said.
“We are saying the local authority should take action as soon as possible before the plague spreads to other cities and it becomes a national disaster.”
Harare mayor Jacob Mafume attributed the spread of bed bugs to the second-hand clothes trade, saying the clothes may have been infested with the bugs while in the market.
Mafume promised to have all affected areas fumigated.
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