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Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
AT least three villages, two schools, and a clinic from Kajekache area in Hurungwe’s Ward 16, are expected to benefit from a piped water scheme whose installation will be done in the next two weeks.
The scheme was mooted by the Government through its Rural Development Drive under Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) with partners UNICEF and Welthungerhilfe (WHH) Zimbabwe bankrolling.
Speaking at Kajekache Primary School this Tuesday after the groundbreaking ceremony of the much-anticipated life-changing project which will benefit over six thousand people, villagers and the business community expressed joy over the pending scheme.
An elated Ms Ketai Zhuwao said the project was going to improve the lives of many people in the area.
A businesswoman, Ms Chipo Mugurasave who has been operating a shop at the Kajekache business centre for the past eight years narrated how difficult life is for the community.
“We accessed clean water from a borehole which was a distance away. It affected our business operations,” she said.
Kajekache Primary School development committee chairperson said the coming in of the borehole was going to address the challenges of teachers shunning the school.
He said at least 1 000 pupils at the school were under threat from water-borne diseases.
“We have over 1 100 pupils here and these students rely on a single borehole. Pupils risk their health by fetching water from unprotected sources while a big snake that is usually seen near the borehole is also threat to the children,” he said.
Hurungwe Rural District Council chairperson, Elderman Badwell Chasara and Hurungwe District Development Coordinator, Mr Andrew Tizora, challenged villagers to be active in setting up the scheme.
Villagers, schools and business community are expected to dig trenches where water pipes will be laid while the donor will provide solar panels, a submersible pump, tanks, PVC and galvanised steel pipes.
Provincial WASH chairman and Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) Mashonaland West head, Mr Erikana Chikande said the Kajekache Piped-Water scheme was third in the district after two were set up at Nyama and Mudzimu areas.
He said the estimated time of the project’s completion was two weeks with commissioning scheduled for the end of March.
Officiating at the groundbreaking ceremony, Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mary Mliswa-Chikoka said the projected was going to be a success if the community exude a sense of ownership and togetherness.
“Trenching has to start right away and we expect full participation from each village. We don’t want this project to be stalled by lack of participation.
“Lets all rally behind this project because it has been made possible by President Mnangagwa who allowed the WHH to operate in the country,” she said.
Tanks with a capacity of 10 000 liters are expected to be erected at the highest and central point of the area with communities, schools and a clinic to have independent taps.
Online Reporter