By Fanuel Chinowaita
Waste pickers have for years remained among the most overlooked workers in Mutare, quietly collecting recyclable materials from streets and dumpsites while facing poor working conditions, stigma and exclusion from formal economic structures. Yet their contribution to keeping the city clean and supporting the recycling industry took centre stage during a City Bylaw Review Café organized by Green Governance Zimbabwe (GGZ) under the Urban Futures Bylaw Review Dialogue Series.
Held at Manica Skyview on Thursday, 23 July 2026, the dialogue brought together residents, councilors, civil society organizations and other stakeholders to discuss how Mutare’s bylaws can better reflect the realities of urban life, including the important role played by informal waste collectors.
Speaking on behalf of waste pickers, Rodney Mayendesa made an emotional appeal for the City of Mutare to formally recognize their work.
“We are speaking on behalf of all waste pickers in the streets. We appeal to the City of Mutare to help us register and become formalized,” he said.
Mayendesa said formalization would not only give waste pickers legal recognition but also restore dignity to people whose work benefits the entire city.
“When we are formalized, we will have a committee that can raise our concerns and engage with authorities,” he said.
Every day, waste pickers recover plastic, cardboard, paper, cans and other recyclable materials that would otherwise end up in landfills or pollute rivers and open spaces. Their efforts reduce the amount of waste requiring municipal disposal while supplying valuable materials to Zimbabwe’s recycling industry.
Despite the importance of their work, many continue to operate without basic protective equipment.
“We do not have enough protective clothing or gloves. We handle waste every day without proper protection,” Mayendesa said.
Working without gloves, boots or protective clothing exposes them to broken glass, contaminated materials, medical waste and other health risks. Beyond these physical dangers, they also face social discrimination.
“People do not recognize us as sober, sensible human beings. Most people think we are drug addicts,” he said.
While acknowledging that some waste pickers struggle with substance abuse, Mayendesa said poverty often lies at the heart of the problem.
“In some cases it is true. Some take drugs using the little money they get. That is making them remain poor.”
Even with these challenges, he believes the sector has significant potential to create jobs and contribute to the local economy if it receives the necessary support.
“We hope that if we get assistance from Government and the City of Mutare, one day we will have bale machines. This recycling industry can create many jobs for the youths,” he said.
Bale machines compress recyclable materials into compact blocks, making them easier to transport and increasing their value to recycling companies. Access to such equipment could improve incomes for waste pickers while strengthening Mutare’s recycling value chain.
Responding to the concerns raised during the dialogue, Ward 18 Councilor James Mugorosa assured participants that the city already has provisions allowing waste pickers to operate legally.
He said registration with the City of Mutare costs US$1, while the annual subscription fee is US$12 and the renewal fee is US$10.
“The money is for one to get into the dumpsite and work well,” Mugorosa said.
He added that the council is also working to improve conditions at the municipal dumpsite by constructing a shade for waste pickers and procuring bale machines to support recycling activities.
These planned improvements signal growing recognition within the local authority that waste pickers are key partners in the city’s waste management system rather than simply informal scavengers.
The dialogue, organized by Green Governance Zimbabwe, formed part of wider consultations aimed at ensuring Mutare’s bylaws reflect the needs of all residents, including those working in the informal economy.
For the waste pickers who attended, the meeting represented more than a policy discussion. It gave them an opportunity to challenge long-held stereotypes, call for safer working conditions and present a vision of a more organized recycling sector that creates employment while protecting the environment.
As Mutare continues reviewing its bylaws, many participants agreed that recognizing and supporting waste pickers would be an important step towards building a cleaner, greener and more inclusive city—one where the people who quietly keep the streets clean receive the respect, protection and recognition they have long deserved.