Bulawayo | Monday, 9 June 2025
What started as viral jokes targeting Harare’s residents has become a crawling nightmare in Bulawayo — and there’s nothing funny about it anymore.
Residents of Mpopoma’s Ward 9, particularly Block 46 and the flats behind Patapata Beer Garden, are under siege from a fast-spreading bed bug infestation that has left people scratching, suffering, and sleepless. Known for their painful bites and stubborn resilience, the bloodsucking pests are now a full-blown public health crisis.
“These bugs have turned our lives into a nightmare,” said a visibly distressed woman from Block 46, her arms, face, and neck covered in red welts. “We haven’t had a peaceful night in weeks. They bite my kids too. We’ve tried everything. Nothing works.”
Miss Siphiwe Moyo, another resident, shared the emotional toll: “This is hard to talk about. People will laugh at you. But we are suffering. We can’t sleep. These bugs are winning.”
According to residents, the Bulawayo City Council has offered fumigation services — but at a cost of US$47 per household, a figure many say is unaffordable.
“That amount is simply out of reach for most of our elderly residents,” said Ward 9 residents’ chairperson Mr. Stanslous Dube. “The infestation is real. Block 46 and Patapata flats are worst-hit. People are begging for help.”
Ward Secretary for Environment Mr. Dumisani Moyo confirmed that the problem is growing silently: “Many are too ashamed to report it. We’re appealing to Government to intervene before this spreads across the city.”
Ward 9 Councillor Donaldson Mabutho said he would visit the affected homes, while Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart stated he had not yet received an official report.
The infestation mirrors the alarming spread of bed bugs in Harare earlier this year, where entire suburbs were overrun. Now, public health experts warn that if urgent action isn’t taken, Bulawayo could face a similar fate.
A health official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “Many people are boiling water, using paraffin, or experimenting with homemade remedies. But bed bugs are tough. They hide in furniture, clothing, and luggage. They’re spreading fast.”
Experts note that warm temperatures worsen the crisis, speeding up breeding and migration during Zimbabwe’s dry season — the perfect conditions for an outbreak.
This isn’t just a local issue — it’s a global one. Paris battled bed bugs during the 2023 Fashion Week, while cities like New York, London, Johannesburg, and Mumbai have faced similar infestations in hotels, cinemas, hospitals, and trains.
Despite fumigation drives by the Ministry of Health and local councils in schools and hospitals, results have been mixed. Health authorities are now calling for a national emergency response, stressing that the crisis goes beyond itchy skin.
“These pests are a sign of a deeper urban sanitation problem,” said the health official. “They cause insomnia, anxiety, social stigma, and skin damage. But more than that, they expose gaps in how we maintain our communities.”
For the residents of Mpopoma, the situation has gone far beyond memes. As the bugs dig in, so too do the calls for urgent help.