Nearly 200 agents and around a hundred companies have been hard at work since Saturday to prepare the visit of the Prime Minister and a delegation of five members of his government, two weeks after the devastating passage of Cyclone Chido.
In the center of Mamoudzou, there is excitement: backhoe loaders and trucks invaded the streets of the capital of Mayotte on Sunday for a major clearing operation, on the eve of the visit of the Prime Minister and five members of his government. Nearly 200 agents and around a hundred companies have been hard at work since Saturday for what is described as “giant large-scale clearance” by municipal teams, two weeks after the devastating passage of Cyclone Chido.
From 7 a.m., several main roads in the heart of Mamoudzou, including the busy Rue du Commerce, were closed to traffic to allow the passage of cleaning teams. “There are many people who think that it is because the ministers arrive that we clean the streets”tells AFP a trader on this blocked artery. “Since December 13, with the passage of the cyclone, waste has been lying around everywhere. It smells bad, and there has been no cleaning. I hope it’s really because it’s the weekend that they take advantage of it”she emphasizes.
“This operation had been planned for over a week. We had to take advantage of this weekend to act effectively, when traffic is reduced”retorts Yssad Mohamed Youssouf, director of urban cleanliness and sustainable development at Mamoudzou. Whether this operation was put in place for the arrival of the Prime Minister and members of his government, including the new holder of the Overseas portfolio Manuel Valls, or not, the residents are seeing the results and are not complaining about them. .
“I’m still waiting for them in Kaweni”
“The important thing is that it gets done”says Arsène Said, 25, while walking along a street freshly cleared of garbage. “I’m still waiting for them in Kaweni”the shanty town of Mamoudzou ravaged by the cyclone, nevertheless adds the educator. After the passage of Cyclone Chido, the various villages of the main town of Mayotte were overwhelmed by waste of all kinds: plants, metal and household waste.
Waste collection had been interrupted for several days because of the numerous trees, poles and other bulky items that had ended up along the roads. In recent days, the streets have gradually become clean again. “We are at 40% in Kaweni, 50% in M’Tsapéré”another district of Mamoudzou, explains Yssad Mohamed Youssouf. “In the villages, we have made a lot of progress, but the center, which had not yet been treated, remained abandoned. It's a huge area, with lots of damage. The goal was that by this evening, we would have treated 80% of Mamoudzou.”.
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Even if the initiative is welcomed, residents, like Mouhoudroiri Nasser, cannot hide their reservations. “We could install more dumpsters to collect what’s left. Because even if we remove some, from the second day new waste appears”.
Operations likely to be repeated
This weekend's operations are likely to be repeated in the coming days. “Currently, we have four sites where we deposit this waste while waiting to be able to transfer it elsewhere”indicates the director of urban cleanliness. The Hamaha transfer dock, closest to the town, is currently closed, having suffered significant damage following the passage of Chido. It should reopen next week, according to authorities. The site of the non-hazardous waste storage facility (ISDND) is now open. The transfer of waste to the site located in Dzoumogné, in the commune of Bandraboua, north of Mayotte, should therefore be initiated in the coming days.
While waiting for the waste treatment circuit to return to normal, mountains of sheet metal and household waste pile up on the M'Tsapéré median or on vacant land near the village of Tsoundzou. “It’s really problematic”recognizes the director of urban cleanliness. “We requested support from state services”. According to the municipality, the situation should return to normal by next week.
Currently, around a hundred private companies with rolling means are mobilized, in particular to transport green waste to the center of the city to crush it. For Yssad Mohamed Youssouf, the final objective is to recycle as much waste as possible. “Having large crushers, reusing wood chips… All of this represents sectors to be developed to maximize the valorization of these materials”.
