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Greedy Zanu PF politicians worsen Harare water crisis
Caiphas Chimhete, The Standard (Zimbabwe)
October 15, 2006

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/viewinfo.cfm?linkid=11&id=5007&siteid=1

ZANU PF politicians are putting spanners in the works of major water projects in Harare, mostly for personal reasons, town planners said last week.

They alleged the politicians, driven by personal greed, want to personally benefit through tender deals at the expense of regular water supplies to residents.

They said the problem had been worsened by "political meddling and sanctioned mismanagement" by senior government officials.

All this has placed residents at risk of water-borne diseases, including dysentery, cholera and scabies.

Some Harare suburbs have gone without water for three consecutive months.

The creation of the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has exacerbated the water crisis, not just in Harare, but in other major urban centres as well.

The independent engineers and town planners said Zinwa staff lacked the crucial experience to tackle the enormous urban water crisis facing the country.

The president of the Zimbabwe Institute of Regional and Urban Planning (ZIRUP), Sasha Jogi, said "political meddling" had drowned most projects meant to boost water supplies in Harare.

He said the construction of Kunzvi Dam, seen as the panacea to Harare’s water woes, was being hampered by the bickering between the council and the Ministry of Water Resources and Infrastructural Development on who should control the project.

"Initially, the council was supposed to be in control of the dam but it was shifted to the ministry of water and now Zinwa is coming in as well," Jogi said. "We know certain individuals want to enrich themselves by getting involved in this project. This is not just a question of lack of finance," he said.

Former Harare executive mayor Engineer Elias Mudzuri, said politicians were eager to control water supply in the city because "it is a cash cow" for most of them.

Mudzuri said the supply of water treatment chemicals, refuse collection and most tenders were being awarded to Zanu PF officials and their friends to facilitate the "stripping" of council assets and finance.

The supply of water treatment chemicals in Harare has been dogged by allegations of favouritism. There have been accusations that Highdon Investments, owned by McDonald Chapfika, had been allowed to keep the chemicals supply tender toHarare because of his links with Zanu PF.

Mudzuri also alleged that plans to build Kunzvi Dam, the expansion of Morton Jaffray Water Works and the upgrading of the water pumping system have been stalled by politicians.

"The technical aspects of how to improve water supply in the city are well-documented," said Mudzuri, "but political meddling would not allow it to happen. Some people are benefiting from this chaos."

Mudzuri was dismissed as executive mayor of Harare by the government in 2003 on allegations of mismanagement.

Mudzuri said the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development, Ignatious Chombo, "must stand accused" of handpicking Zanu PF "faithfuls" with no idea of how to run the affairs of the city.

Despite glaring failures to turn around the fortunes of the city, Chombo has re-appointed the commission running Harare, headed by Sekesai Makwavarara, several times.

The Combined Harare Residents’ Association (Chra) has called on Zinwa to cede to the municipality the responsibility of supplying and administering water because it has failed to provide the services.

Chra spokesperson, Precious Shumba, said the absence of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Harare city council and Zinwa was disastrous and is a "corrupt business arrangement". Chra said Zinwa was a "State project" to expand its feeding trough. "Benefits only accrue to selected individuals and organisations whose allegiance is well-known," said Shumba.

Harare City Council spokesperson Percy Toriro said he could not comment because construction of dams, reservoirs and supply of chemicals was now the responsibility of Zinwa.

Zinwa board chairman Willie Muringani last week blamed the current water crisis on the low water charges, which he said were unsustainable.

Health experts say the urban centres are sitting on a health time bomb as the water crisis worsens. In the Harare suburbs of Mabvuku, Tafara, and Waterfalls residents are drinking water from unprotected wells, exposing themselves to water-borne diseases such as cholera and dysentery. Some are selling purified water to desperate residents.

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