Bed bugs have started attacking Harare residents. Officials blame second-hand clothes for the recent bug outbreak. The pests first appeared at Matererini flats about two weeks ago. People who visit affected areas bring the bugs home with them, and poor living conditions make the problem worse.
The bugs have moved beyond flats into other crowded neighborhoods like Mabvuku, Kuwadzana, and Budiriro. The Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Association wants city leaders to spray chemicals right away. They are asking clothing sellers to stop their business until the crisis ends. Public buses need daily cleaning to kill the bugs that hide inside.
Combined Harare Residents Association points to bad housing as the main cause. Two years ago, they sued the city about the terrible conditions in Mbare. The group wants officials to follow court orders to fix the 59 apartment blocks. Chitungwiza Residents Trust fears the bugs might spread across Zimbabwe if nobody acts fast.
Mayor Jacob Mafume said used clothes brought the bugs into the city. He promised to start spraying all areas where people reported seeing the insects. The mayor thinks the clothes came with bugs already hidden inside fabric folds. Residents hope for quick action before the tiny pests take over more homes.
The bugs have moved beyond flats into other crowded neighborhoods like Mabvuku, Kuwadzana, and Budiriro. The Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Association wants city leaders to spray chemicals right away. They are asking clothing sellers to stop their business until the crisis ends. Public buses need daily cleaning to kill the bugs that hide inside.
Combined Harare Residents Association points to bad housing as the main cause. Two years ago, they sued the city about the terrible conditions in Mbare. The group wants officials to follow court orders to fix the 59 apartment blocks. Chitungwiza Residents Trust fears the bugs might spread across Zimbabwe if nobody acts fast.
Mayor Jacob Mafume said used clothes brought the bugs into the city. He promised to start spraying all areas where people reported seeing the insects. The mayor thinks the clothes came with bugs already hidden inside fabric folds. Residents hope for quick action before the tiny pests take over more homes.
