Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]
THE Government has taken a significant step towards addressing the water challenges in Gweru by launching two business units in the city.
These units, located in Mkoba 4 and Mkoba 20, are designed to transform the lives of residents by guaranteeing them regular water supplies.
The initiative seeks to address the prolonged water challenges in Gweru’s Mkoba North suburb, where households have endured years of uncertainty due to unreliable water supplies. The business units will supply households with reliable water, bringing the much-needed relief.
Gweru City’s daily water demand is more than 65 megalitres but council is only able to pump around 40 megalitres.
The shortfall has forced the local authority to ration water resulting in some suburbs going for days without water.
Commissioning the units yesterday, the Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Cde Owen Ncube, said by investing in water infrastructure, the Government aims to guarantee residents access to clean water.
“This event showcases the Second Republic’s people-centric development programmes and projects which align with SDG pillar number six on clean water and sanitation as we journey towards an upper-middle-income society earlier than 2030,” he said.
Minister Ncube said the launch is expected to have a positive impact on the lives of Gweru residents. Gweru’s water woes date back several years, largely due to ageing infrastructure, limited pumping capacity, and dwindling raw water levels at key supply dams such as Gwenoro, Amapongokwe and Whitewaters.
The council has over the years struggled to meet the city’s demand for water as its water reticulation infrastructure has not been expanded correspondingly with the growing population.
The crisis has often sparked tensions between residents and the council, forcing Central Government to intervene. The newly established Mkoba business units, capable of servicing at least 1 000 households are just a stopgap measure while long-term upgrades are being pursued.
Legislator for Mkoba North Constituency, Cde Edgar Ncube, said the intervention aligns with President Mnangagwa’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind.
“I realised that people in my constituency have been suffering for a long time due to a lack of reliable water. I then engaged Minister Ncube to assist,” he said.
Residents expressed gratitude for what they described as a long-overdue intervention.
“We are grateful to our President and our Honourable MP for this project. We can now set up small gardens as we are now guaranteed constant water supplies. Water was a problem here,” said Mr George Nyashanu.
Ms Agness Chuma said: “We have been remembered here in Mkoba. It is a fact that we rarely get city council water this side.”
Gweru Mayor, Councillor Martin Chivhoko, welcomed the development, saying it would complement the city’s ongoing infrastructure upgrades.
“In the future, we hope to boost our water treatment capacity and expand distribution networks. We are adopting technologies to monitor and manage our water distribution,” he said.
Clr Chivhoko said council appreciates Government’s support and collaboration.
“Together, we will continue to improve water provision as we work to enhance the quality of life of our residents,” he said.
