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Tafara and Mabvuku without water, electricity, sewerage for 7 months
Tererai Karimakwenda, SW Radio Africa (London)
February 28, 2008

http://allafrica.com/stories/200803031775.html

We received reports from residents of Mabvuku and Tafara high-density areas of Harare that people have been dying from water borne diseases. Their sewerage systems have collapsed and the authorities are doing nothing about it.

Residents described shocking situations where human excrement is flowing into the back yards where they grow vegetables. Anyone who has visited says the stench is unbearable.

Schools and nurseries are surrounded by sewerage flowing through the streets and vendors are selling fruit and vegetables in the midst of all this.

Sherpard Madamombe, a parliamentary candidate for Mabvuku-Tafara in the Tsvangirai MDC, said he recently toured the area and was shocked to see how much sewerage was actually on the streets. He said some residents can no longer access their homes because human waste was flowing right into their houses. And people are dying from diarrhea and dysentery.

Madamombe said desperate residents dug a borehole in order to have drinking water, but the well is located close to a huge pit to where sewerage is being re-directed. He thanked a non-governmental organisation called Doctors without Borders because they are providing chemicals to treat some of the drinking water. Madamombe said UNICEF, the UN children's unit, has also been bringing water bowsers to the area.

As for electricity, Madamombe said areas like Chinjanje and Old Tafara have had no power for about 9 months now. Old Tafara is where the district office is located. The local officials used to use computers, but without power they now have to resort to ballpoint pens to record rent payments made by residents.

Madamombe said government officials went around taking notes recently but nothing has been done so far. The city of Harare and all its surrounding suburbs have been neglected since the elected Mayor Elias Mudzuri and elected councilors were removed illegally by the Minister of Local government Ignatius Chombo - who then appointed commissioners to run the city. They have raised rates but are not providing any services. Corruption and mismanagement have also been rampant.

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