adminVictor Maphosa recently in Hwedza
The Second Republic under President Mnangagwa has been applauded for ending water challenges previously faced by Chitida residents, in Hwedza through the drilling of solar powered borehole that has enabled five villages to get uninterrupted water supply.
Through the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), previously known as the District Development Fund (DDF), Government’s initiative is also benefiting St Augustine’s primary and secondary schools in Chitida.
The schools now have four taped water points each.
Wards 7 and 9, which have been facing acute water challenges, now have easier access of the precious liquid.
The solar powered borehole first feeds water into huge plastic tanks erected in the targeted villages and then water is channelled to several points where taps were installed.
The ongoing programme was done under the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) and the initiative complements the Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme launched by President Mnangagwa recently which targets to drill 35 000 boreholes across the province.
In an interview with The Herald last week, beneficiaries of the programme thanked Government for ensuring they have potable water closer to their homes.
“This programme is helping us a lot. We used to get water from wells and poorly dug pits which would quickly dry up. Like now those wells have no water at all and had it not been for this programme, a lot of us would be travelling long distances to fetch water.
“However, all those water challenges are history, thanks to RIDA and as you can see, we have taps installed all over this village where we get clean water. We thank our President for not leaving us behind,” Mr Muza Magorimbo from Zendazinyama village said.
Mrs Stella Chigume, a businesswoman at Sanganayi business centre in ward 9, a centre which also benefited from the programme said the hustles associated with accessing water for domestic use is a thing of the past.
“We had no reliable source of water here, however RIDA has come to our rescue as we were facing huge challenges. We are thankful for this programme. We appeal to Government through RIDA to put more water points around here because as it is, demand is increasing every time,” she said.
Learners at St Augustine’s Primary School thanked Government through RIDA for making sure their school has clean water.
“We used to compete with even wild animals for water here. It was bad and some of the learners got sick because of drinking contaminated water. Now we are happy and thankful to Government for this programme. We happily drink from our taps knowing that it is safe. thank you President Mnangagwa for this gesture,” said a Grade 6 learner Atidaishe Shumba.
St Augustine Chitida primary school headmaster Mr Morrison Zvitare thanked President Mnangagwa through RIDA for bringing clean water to the school.
“This is commendable and has brought the much needed relief to both learners and staff, including surrounding communities. We faced water challenges for a long time. We used to rely on water from a well which would dry every season.
RIDA Mashonaland East provincial director Engineer Phoebe Maposa thanked President Mnangagwa for availing resources which they channelled to uplifting living standards of everyone, especially through the mantra leaving no one and no place behind.
She said as an organisation, they will work around the clock to ensure rural development is expedited, leaving no one and no place behind.
“We executed a piped water scheme in Chitida after realising that the area was facing serious water challenges and we are happy that community is now having potable water. As RIDA, we are thankful to President Mnangagwa for all the resources that we use to execute our mandate smoothly and bring development to the people,” she said.
Online Reporter