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Mangaliso Kabulika
Government has allocated $608.3 billion towards the rehabilitation and improvement of the water and sanitation sector in a HUGE boost in the fight to contain the recent cholera outbreak.
It was largely caused by, among other things, Local Government’s failure to provide water provisions to the communities they serve.
Presenting his 2024 National Budget in parliament yesterday, Finance and Investment Promotion Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, said the budget allocation will be used to rehabilitate and maintain existing infrastructure,expedite the construction of dam projects, develop additional water bodies, and improve access to water and sanitation services in rural areas by drilling boreholes.
“The Government’s plan also includes the capacitation of local authorities, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority and other agencies involved in water resource management,” said Prof Ncube.
The outbreak has so far resulted in 1 367 confirmed cases and 53 deaths, and has been attributed to Harare City Council’s failure to obtain water treatment chemicals.
The first cholera outbreak in the country was recorded on February 12 in Chegutu.
To date, suspected and confirmed cases have been reported in 52 districts across the country’s 10 provinces.
Bongani Ndlovu
Mathew Masinge