By Own Correspondent
Village heads in ward 18 of Mutasa District are appealing to the government to intervene and solve water challenges affecting the area.
Speaking to the ward councilor Johanne Mandiringana at a TellZim News facilitated interface meeting recently, village heads said although they were happy with government interventions in many areas, they were appealing for a lasting solution to water problems.
Village head Onias Chasauka said people from his village were walking several kilometers in search of clean water for drinking and other domestic uses.
“I am faced with serious water problems in my village. Women and children are walking over five kilometers looking for water to drink and often they end up fetching unclean water from rivers. We are sitting on a health time bomb because of the obtaining situation,” said Chasauka.
Nyakurima Village head also weighed in saying the situation was no longer bearable and suggested that the solution may be obtained if they are assistance in getting pipes that can be connected from main water pipes that take water from Pungwe River to Mutare.
“We do not have water at Shamhu shopping center, business is highly affected there and yet there is an option of diverting water from Pungwe River to our community,” said Nyakurima.
Councilor Mandiringana said he was not aware of the dire situation as explained by village heads but promised that the issue would be treated with urgency and priority it deserves.
“You see the reason why these dialogues are important, I now have a full picture of water woes in this area and I will go and approach our Member of Parliament (MP) for assistance. We must never allow people to drink unclean water or let them walk long distances to get water. I promise you that we are bringing a solution soon,” said Mandiringana.
Mandiringana said with the help of local MP Misheck Mugadza, a number of boreholes including the one at Nyakatsapa garden were drilled but said due to the time of the year, water was generally becoming a challenge.
“As you already know, a number of boreholes were drilled here but some of those boreholes are dry because the water table is generally low during this period of the year,” said Mandiringana.
