Poor Citizenship plus poor governance turning Harare into a dumpster!

 #Harare is gripped with yet another #cholera outbreak. The Ministry of Health and Child welfare of Zimbabwe reported that over 150 people have died from the disease. It is very troubling that we are still troubled with diseases which should have stayed in the medieval world. To a Harare resident, like myself, it is not so shocking, just troubling, because of the unnecessary deaths that could've been avoided so easily through proper waste management, clean water and good hygiene. Many residents are found to be lacking in all these. One wonders why people living in this modern era that is so sophisticated in every way. I've spoken with my brother countless times about this issue, of lack of sense of community amongst Harare residents and Zimbabweans in general. We all agree that we lack citizenship. So what is citizenship?

In my opinion #citizenship is the sense of belonging towards one community and being responsible in your actions in everything you do - realising that your actions not only affect you but the person next to you and the whole community. For example, cutting down a tree that you feel is troubling you with littered chaff affects the next person who may have been using the tree for shade or eating its fruits or relying on it for holding up the soil to prevent erosion. Citizenship is the fibre that connects each and every one of us. We are not animals, we are intellectual social beings capable of reasoning and living together. We have to be aware of how our daily life routines affect people. Throwing away an empty packet of potato crisps may not affect you in any way, but the person next to you is gonna do the same, because they think it is the 'normal' thing to do instead of 'putting trash in the bin'. If two people do it, more will follow, like a Fibonaci sequence the numbers will multiply. The end result is that our streets will look dirty, unhygienic unsafe and a sore to the eyes. 

This is exactly what is causing Harare to crumble. I dont know how and when we stopped exercising citizenship but that day was the downfall of the so called 'sunshine city'. The president of Zimbabwe, Mr Mnangagwa proclaimed few years ago that every first Friday of every month is national clean-up day. Whilst this is all commendable, this has not stopped the thrashing of litter everywhere. Besides trashing, Ive also noticed the following;

- road and traffic safety rules are not respected. Reckless driving is famous in Harare, crossing red traffic lights, speeding, driving in opposite lanes, not being patient in congestions and respecting the 'right of way rule'...I can go on. 

- rude and corrupt public officers in the city council.

- poor governance in all institutions. Allocating city land in corrupt deals, misuse of public funds, poor servicing of roads and basic service delivery. 

- not being responsible with disposal of baby diapers. 

- urinating and 'doing a number 2' in street corners.

- cutting down trees recklessly, destruction of wetland areas, development on park and green areas.

This is simply too much. We need citizenship to be restored, our mental faculties fixed, because whatever is happening with most Zimbabwean is insanity.