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Zimbabwean "government" must account for anti-cholera resources
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
December 05, 2008

The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) is dismayed by the failure of the Zimbabwean de facto government and its parastatals` to account for the funds which were designated for the control of cholera and provision of clean water to the residents of Harare. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe allocated large sums of money (R18 million) and vehicles to ZINWA, towards the production and supply of water and sewer reticulation in the city, some three weeks ago, but up to date nothing substantial has been seen on the ground; the cholera infested areas are still without water, raw sewage is still abundantly flowing through the residential areas and homes while burst sewer is still largely unattended and the cholera scourge is on the rise.

The "government" declared Cholera, a national emergency on Wednesday 03 December 2008, a decision which had been long overdue; they did so as a capitulation gesture and to open up for help from donor agencies and the international community. The beleaguered de facto government which also has a recent record of misappropriating funds designated for fighting HIV/AIDS, has soiled hands and must show clean hands before it takes more resources meant to fight Cholera or for any other program. The "government' has shown its caliber to the whole world and no-one can remain guessing anymore; the Zimbabwean disaster is not a natural one but that of insensitive and irresponsible governance.

Zimbabweans affected and infected with cholera are direly in need of international help as there is no internal capacity to deal with the current Cholera scourge which requires a functional health delivery system, adequate and clean water supply, a generally healthy environment. On a long term basis, Zimbabweans need a sustainable water and sewer management framework to avoid a disaster of the current cholera outbreak's kind. Be that as it may; Zimbabwe desperately need a transparent, accountable, honest and sensitive leadership.

Meanwhile, the cholera scourge is unrelenting as it continues to claim more lives in Harare, across the country and rapidly sprawling beyond the Zimbabwean boarders. While there are reports that the UN Aid Agencies have stepped up efforts to fight cholera in Zimbabwe; CHRA still fears that the aid directed towards fighting Cholera might be usurped by the authorities and find way to bankrolling some of the dishonest and insensitive de facto government's populist projects.

CHRA demands transparent, accountable and responsible leadership; Harare residents and Zimbabweans deserve better.

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