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Diarrhoea outbreak hits Harare
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
August 06, 2008

Residents in the eastern suburbs of Harare, including Masasa Park, Letombo Park, Mabvuku and Tafara have been hit by a wave of diarrhoea outbreak. Some parts of Mabvuku and Tafara have had no water for years, while Letombo and Msasa Park have been dry for over two months now. The Government transferred the responsibility to manage water supply from the city council and gave it to ZINWA. The Government took this decision despite warning by the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) and other civic society organizations, that ZINWA does not have adequate technical capacity to manage water supply for Harare and other local authorities . On one hand, reports abound that ZINWA is failing to pay its employees, while on the other, the authority has also run out of water treatment chemicals. As a result, ZINWA employees have gone on strike on numerous occasions, leaving water problems unattended. In an effort to keep ZINWA inefficiencies undercover, there was media blackout on the industrial action by the ZINWA employees. The shortage of water treatment chemicals has also seen water production being reduced by almost three quarters; hence the critical shortage of water in Harare.

CHRA has consistently called upon the 'Government' to reverse the ZINWA take over, and return the responsibility to manage water supply to the city council. However, the Government remains adamant and maintains that there is 'no going back on its sinister and reckless decision to give ZINWA such a delicate mandate'. Last week Walter Muzembi, the 'Minister of Water', vowed that the Government will not reverse its decision to mandate ZINWA run Harare water supply. This is despite public and professional outcry that such a decision must be reversed. CHRA condemns the 'Government' for failing to appreciate that the residents in both their personal and professional capacities are suffering as a result of its decision and such arrogance . CHRA has on numerous occasions warned of a cholera outbreak if urgent measures are not taken to address the deepening water crisis. CHRA demands the immediate reversal of the ZINWA take over. The city council must be given back its responsibility of managing Harare water supply, so that ZINWA can focus only on bulk water supply.

Meanwhile CHRA dismisses the claims by ZINWA and the city health department that the eastern suburbs are dry because they are 'situated on high ground and therefore it is difficult to pump water to those areas'. Those are ridiculous statements characteristic of a defunct yet ruthless institution. Before ZINWA, these suburbs have always been situated on high ground yet they have always had clean water supply though erratic at times . CHRA asserts that these suburbs are not getting water not because of their location, but simply because ZINWA is bankrupt and its management is not serious and diligent enough in executing its responsibilities. The residents are not suffering because they are living in suburbs situated on high ground, but simply because they are being ruled by parastatals and a regime that is not attentive or sincere about their plight. CHRA suspects that the Government wishes to maintain its decision on ZINWA so that the water crisis can continue, and generate hostility between the city council and the residents. The residents are aware that the privatization of such social services like water provision is a milking cow for the political heavy weights. CHRA wonders who is getting the tenders to supply ZINWA with chemicals and protective clothing.

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