By Michael Gwarisa
Bedbugs currently tormenting Mbare residents are spreading rapidly from one block to another, raising fears of a full-blown outbreak across Harare if extermination efforts fail.
The City of Harare announced yesterday that it would begin fumigating Mbare following reports of the continued spread of bedbugs.
Simbarashe Chanachimwe, the Councillor for Ward 3 in Mbare, said previous efforts to eliminate the pests had been unsuccessful.
In short, I can say they are everywhere in Mbare now. We fear that this will soon become a citywide outbreak,” said Cllr. Chanachimwe.
“We first noticed this problem around 2023. Initially, reports of bedbugs came from the Matererini Flats, then they spread to Matapi Flats. Right now, they are in Majubheki Flats, Magaba, Mbare National, and Matakagarika.”
The bedbug infestation in Mbare echoes last year’s surge in Paris, France, which caused widespread panic after reports emerged of the pests appearing in public transport, movie theatres, and hotels.
“We now need a more effective approach to contain this outbreak. We appreciate the City Health Department and the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) for responding to our call for support in fumigating the affected areas.”
Bedbugs spread mainly by hitchhiking on people, luggage, clothing, or furniture from infested areas, particularly during travel or through second-hand purchases. Mbare is home to one of Zimbabwe’s largest thrift markets, where second-hand clothes, commonly known as mabhero, are sold.
Harare City Health Director Dr. Prosper Chonzi urged Mbare residents to play their part in controlling the infestation.
“Personal hygiene is very important in dealing with bedbugs. However, residents here do not have enough water to wash their blankets and maintain proper hygiene. If bed linen is not washed, dried properly, and ironed, the bugs will continue to thrive,” said Dr. Chonzi.
Meanwhile, City of Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume assured residents that enough insecticide stocks were available to tackle the bedbug crisis.
“We are in Mbare to respond to the health crisis caused by bedbugs. We are mobilizing the community, and we have enough chemicals in stock for spraying. We will also purchase more, with assistance from the Ministry of Health,” said Cllr. Mafume.
He added that volunteers from the community would be trained to assist with fumigation efforts. A structured schedule is also being developed to ensure continuous fumigation of hostels and other affected areas until the problem is under control.
“In the long term, we need to address other issues such as sewage management and improving living conditions in the flats to ensure residents are comfortable and safe,” he said.
