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Residents breathe fire as City of Harare embarks on a water disconnection spree
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
October 05, 2010

The residents of Kuwadzana have lashed out at the City of Harare for illegally disconnecting water supplies at a time when the city is still recovering from the cholera outbreak. The City of Harare yesterday disconnected more than 300 households in Kuwadzana 1, 2, 3 and 4 while a significant number of households in Kuwadzana Extension were also disconnected. The City of Harare has attributed the water disconnections to the failure by residents to pay their outstanding bills.

The CHRA Coordinator for Kuwadzana Ward 37, Ms. Evernice Munando, expressed her disappointment at the City of Harare's water disconnection exercise, describing it as an act of fundraising by a Local Authority that has no regard for the residents' right to access water. Residents who spoke to CHRA pointed out that it was illegal for the City of Harare to disconnect water supplies because the outstanding bills were not for water but for the non-existent services that residents had declined to pay for. The residents of Harare, in conjunction with CHRA, had called for rates boycotts especially on refuse collection and other supplementary charges following the failure of the City of Harare to provide such services. However, residents were paying for their water consumption and some resumed paying for refuse collection after the City of Harare resumed the exercise of collecting refuse recently. Residents have described the harmonisation of the water bills with bills of other service charges as a deliberate ploy by the City of Harare to fleece money from residents for services that were never rendered. Furthermore, some of the residents actually paid their bills in full but the City of Harare never credited such payments to their accounts. This has seen residents being in perennial arrears in spite of the fact that they have been making rates payments to Council.

Councillor Mangwiro, who represents Kuwadzana Ward 37 could not b reached for comment. However, residents contacted Councillor Mandere from Ward 45 (Kuwadzana Phase 3), seeking help but the Councillor gave residents a cold shoulder saying that they were liars who wanted to blame Council and yet they do not pay their rates. The Councillor's response was described as sad by Ms Munando who said that some Councillors are diverting their loyalties to Town House instead of representing the interests of residents. What angers residents most is the fact that the Council did not even bother to send warnings to residents notifying them of the outstanding bills. The bills that were shown to CHRA clearly reflect the Council's lack of seriousness in rectifying its chaotic billing system. The bills are not self explanatory as they neither reflect water consumption nor the breakdown of the service charges for which residents are billed.

The Combined Harare Residents Association condemns the City of Harare's actions which are tantamount to risking the lives of residents through exposure to diseases such as cholera. Harare is still experiencing bouts of diarrheal outbreaks and yet the concern of Council rests on money rather than the health of ratepayers. Moreover, the Council's actions are in direct defiance of a Ministerial directive that water supplies should not be disconnected for whatever reason. CHRA calls on the Ministry of Water, The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Local Government to intervene and put a stop to this overzealous thirst for money that is being displayed by the City of Harare. Our City fathers need orientation on how to value the lives and health of residents as well as to learn how to engage residents in a constructive manner. The confrontational attitude that is being displayed by the City of Harare leaves a lot to be desired as it is not expected of a public service provider. The city fathers need to be reminded that they are there to serve residents and not to declare war on them.

Residents have vowed to protest against the water disconnections and also to sue the City of Harare for its unfair billing system. CHRA is in discussions with its lawyers to explore possible ways for legal recourse. The Association remains committed to advocating for good, transparent and accountable local governance as well as lobbying for quality municipal services on a non partisan basis.

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