adminAbel Zhakata Senior Reporter
CASH-strapped Mutare City Council has been rapped over its reluctance to service the Pungwe Water Project debt with the Swedish government which has been ignored for close to two decades now. The Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, told Mayor Tatenda Nhamarare to put his house in order andensure that the debt is cleared.
He said this during last week’s commissioning of the Chikanga water reservoir which was constructed under the Zim-fund initiative in which Sweden is one of the donors.
Cde Kasukuwere said it was disturbing to note that the Swedish government had extended a helping hand to the local authority for a second time yet the municipality is dragging its feet to repay money it received in the mid 1990s when the Pungwe Water project was done.
“That money is long overdue and you have to repay it. If you adopt a culture of not repaying loans you won’t get help in future,” he said.
Mutare receives adequate water supplies from Pungwe and Odzani rivers, but the city has distribution challenges which have resulted in water supply bottlenecks.
Cde Savior Kasukuwere said the provision of clean water to communities aids development.
He also urged the local authority to look after the rehabilitated infrastructure as well as come up with an efficient water billing system.
Vice-President Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa commissioned the 10 million litre Chikanga water reservoir that will cater for more than 9 000 households thereby putting to an end years of erratic water supplies in the suburb.
He urged residents to pay bills to ensure sustainable service delivery.
“Water cannot be delivered free of charge. We have to pay for it so that every single household will have access to it 24/7. Pay something towards that service to ensure maintenance and guaranteed future supplies. I am urging ratepayers to pay for services to ensure supply continuity,” he said.
He praised the manner in which the Zim-fund projects were being conducted in the city.
“The Zim-fund projects here in Mutare were conducted in a transparent manner, the funds were properly used.
“We must be honest because that is the only way to attract support from our development partners,” he said.
VP Mnangagwa also visited the Gimboki Sewerage Works in Dangamvura which is now fully operational after its rehabilitation under the Zim-fund initiative.
Before its upgrade, the sewerage treatment plant was discharging raw sewage into Sakubva River thereby posing serious health hazards to downstream rural communities that source water from the river.
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