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Yeukai Karengezeka
Chitungwiza Municipality has welcomed the Government’s intervention to assist local authorities battling with water challenges.
The dormitory town has been grappling with a serious water crisis since the decommissioning of the Prince Edward Water Treatment Plant in August due to the drying up of Harava and Seke dams.
Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing Strategic Plan Review workshop, Chitungwiza Mayor Rosaria Mangoma said the intervention came at a crucial time.
“It is good news that the Government is taking measures to bail out local authorities hit by a water crisis like Chitungwiza.
We welcome the steps being taken. It’s commendable,” she said.
The government is in the process of implementing a raft of measures to bail out local authorities across the country that have been unable to provide citizens with potable water.
The government has also undertaken short-term measures to avert disaster, by among other things, drilling boreholes, as a means to complement and supplement municipal and ZINWA supplies.
Mayor Mangombe however said as a local authority whilst waiting for the interventions from the Government the municipality was going to host Water Indaba next week on Monday.
“We, however, feel that as we wait for the intervention, we can carry on with a Water Indaba next week on Monday.
This is going to be a multi-stakeholder engagement where we hope to get different inputs on how this problem can be addressed in the short term.
In her opening remarks at the ongoing Strategic Plan Review workshop being held at CUT Hotel, she said it was their desire for Chitungwiza to become a water authority.
She pleaded with the Government to consider giving them responsibility over Prince Edward dam.
Mayor Mangoma said they were pinning hopes on completing the Kunzvi Dam and the Muchekeranwa Dam, a pipeline project to supply at least 90 mega litres, exceeding the existing demand of 75 mega litres.
The Chitungwiza residents and business community have welcomed the initiative of hosting the Indaba.
Chitungwiza and Manyame Rural Residents Association (CAMERA) director Mr Marvelous Khumalo said engaging different key stakeholders on the water crisis would help come up with lasting solutions.
“This year we have had difficulties in terms of water provision . This adds to hygiene and sanitisation challenges within our communities.
On average people are now buying 10 buckets of water (200 litres) for a costly dollar,” he said.
Mr Khumalo said the water crisis has largely affected women and youth who usually spend hours queueing to get resources at water points.
He added that they are hearing issues of unwanted pregnancies of young girls who are enticed by water barons who control the water points.
Speaking on behalf of the Chitungwiza Business Community Trust Mr Innocent Chikuvanyanga said non-availability of water was becoming more costly, and hampering their operations.
Online Reporter