Online Reporter
Trust Freddy,
Zimpapers Correspondent
Government will soon introduce drain-flushing technology to clear blocked drainage systems as part of a long-term solution to flash floods affecting Harare and other urban centres, a Cabinet minister has said.
This comes as Government is also finalising the rollout of smart water meters and a new waste management model in Bulawayo to address chronic service delivery challenges faced by opposition-led councils for over two decades.
Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe revealed the intended interventions during a press conference on Monday, stating that the projects will be executed through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
This follows the successful introduction of prepaid water meters in Harare after contracts were signed with the City of Harare, Hangzhou Liaison Technology Company, and Helcraw Electrical under a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) model.
In the initial phase, Government will roll out 600 000 prepaid meters, with 320 000 reserved for Harare, while the remainder will be distributed to Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare and Victoria Falls.
Minister Garwe told journalists that, through the same PPP model, Government will leverage modern technology as a long-term solution for managing flash floods.
“We are aware that when it rains, our roads are flooded in Harare,” Garwe said. “The reason why they are flooded is because vendors store or keep their wares in the drains. So when it rains, the drains become blocked.”
To rectify this, Government is sourcing specialised equipment designed to clear deep-seated obstructions that manual labour has failed to dislodge.
“We are now bringing technology that can blow off all that blockage so that our drains start functioning again. But we need to go through the PPP arrangements,” the Minister added.
However, Minister Garwe criticised the City of Harare for failing to utilise available technical support to improve service delivery.
While acknowledging the severity of the drainage system issues, he argued that the primary hurdle remains a lack of resolve to fix them.
“You are aware that in November last year, we launched a programme called the Local Authorities Technical Support Unit, housed at our CPU yard, where we have yellow machines, tube trucks, and many other pieces of equipment. We said local authorities should come and hire from us.
The only local authority that doesn’t come to hire from us is Harare. That deviant behaviour by the Mayor of Harare is very unfortunate because the equipment is very close to him.”
Minister Garwe also revealed that he would convene a high-level meeting with mayors from all local authorities across the country.
“We still have challenges with road rehabilitation, drainage, and sewer management. These are now on our dashboard for 2026 going forward, and we are aligning all service delivery mechanisms to the National Development Strategy 2.
We are meeting all mayors and local authorities in Bulawayo to discuss these issues.”
He further announced that preparations for the rollout of smart water meters and a new waste management system in Bulawayo are at an advanced stage.
“In terms of broader service delivery, we are in Bulawayo tomorrow to finalise with the City Council on waste management and water. We have already finalised the water issues in Harare.”
The installation of the new devices is expected to help cities accurately measure consumption, curb losses, and improve revenue collection.
The prepaid meters will operate using a smart card system, allowing residents to pay for water before use in the same way they purchase electricity tokens.
The technology will enable households to monitor consumption and budget more accurately, while cities collect revenue upfront — a move expected to curb debt, prevent illegal connections, and plug long-standing leakages in the billing system.
