By Wallace Mawire
The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has called on all local authorities in Zimbabwe to comply with solid and liquid waste management regulations to protect the environment and public health.
According to EMA, the call followed a recent statement issued by the agency after the High Court of Zimbabwe granted an order against the City of Harare following an application for a mandatory interdict by EMA.
The judgment was issued on 2 October 2026 under case number HCH2610/25, with directives requiring the city to comply with environmental regulations, EMA said.
EMA said the call came against a background of continued disregard for the adoption of sustainable solid and liquid waste management practices by local authorities.
On liquid waste management, EMA said most monitored urban rivers were non-compliant with national dissolved oxygen standards, while phosphate concentrations in some rivers exceeded permissible limits by up to 12 times.
The agency said this was against the background of an estimated 415 megalitres of raw and partially treated sewage being discharged into the environment daily.
EMA encouraged local authorities across Zimbabwe to invest in both solid and liquid waste management systems, with an urgent focus on infrastructure development.
The agency said the City of Harare had been directed to take measures to properly manage solid waste disposal and implement appropriate preventive measures.
EMA said the directives also required the city to refrain from discharging raw, untreated or partially treated effluent or sewage into the aquatic environment or water sources in contravention of Section 57 of the Environmental Management Act and its regulations.
The agency said the city had also been urged to rehabilitate, repair and upgrade its sewage treatment plants and sewer systems to ensure the proper treatment of effluent before it was discharged into the environment and water bodies.
EMA said the move followed numerous engagements, the issuance of tickets and environmental protection orders, which had failed to yield action from the City of Harare.
The agency said it had eventually approached the High Court of Zimbabwe for intervention.
EMA said the High Court order supported its efforts to ensure that the City of Harare complied with established redress mechanisms relating to both solid and liquid waste management.
The agency said it now had the power to apply for contempt of court proceedings against the City of Harare if non-compliance continued.