Source: Chitungwiza residents issue 72-hour ultimatum over sewer crisis – herald
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Herald Correspondent
CHITUNGWIZA residents have issued their municipality a 72-hour ultimatum to provide a clear and practical solution to the town’s worsening sewer crisis, amid growing fears of disease outbreaks and deteriorating living conditions.
The ultimatum was issued by the Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trust (ZNOART), saying residents in Unit A, St Mary’s and Zengeza were enduring inhumane conditions as raw sewage continues to flow through streets, homes and public spaces.
In a statement, ZNOART national chairman Mr Shepherd Shalvar Chikomba accused the local authority of failing to address a long-standing sanitation crisis.
“We are deeply disturbed that residents are now forced to co-exist with flowing sewage on a daily basis as though it has become normal. Children are playing near contaminated water, families are living with overflowing sewer lines and vendors are operating in areas heavily polluted by raw effluent,” said Mr Chikomba.
“This is not only a service delivery failure, but a direct violation of people’s dignity, health and constitutional rights.”
ZNOART warned that failure by the municipality to act within 72 hours would leave residents with no option but to stage demonstrations at the Chitungwiza Council head offices.
“We are giving the municipality 72 hours to present residents with a practical, visible and actionable intervention plan. Residents are tired of excuses while sewage continues to flow into homes and streets,” said Mr Chikomba.
“We cannot continue to expose communities to deadly diseases because of negligence and lack of urgency from authorities mandated to provide basic services.”
The sewer crisis in Chitungwiza has persisted for years, with the town’s ageing infrastructure increasingly failing to cope with population growth and rising demand for water and sanitation services.
Reports over the years have shown that much of the sewer infrastructure was installed in the 1970s and is now overwhelmed by the growing population.
According to previous infrastructure assessments, the sewer and water reticulation system was originally designed to cater for only a fraction of the current population, resulting in recurring sewer bursts and effluent spillages across residential areas.
Public health experts have repeatedly linked poor sanitation, burst sewer pipes and unsafe water sources in Chitungwiza to recurring cholera and typhoid outbreaks.
During past cholera outbreaks, health organisations noted that raw sewage flowing through communities, combined with erratic water supplies, created conditions conducive to rapid disease transmission.
Mr Chikomba said it was alarming that some sewer spillages remained unattended despite being located close to municipal offices.
“It is shocking that a major sewer hazard exists barely 800 metres from the council offices despite repeated reports by residents. This demonstrates a worrying lack of accountability and seriousness by the local authority,” he said.
He urged Government, through the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, to urgently intervene and consider engaging competent private-sector partners to rehabilitate the collapsing sewer infrastructure if the municipality fails to effectively manage the system.
“Clean water, proper sanitation and a safe environment are basic human rights. Residents of Chitungwiza deserve better service delivery and urgent intervention before another health disaster occurs,” said Mr Chikomba.
Recent rehabilitation works funded through various infrastructure support programmes have been initiated in parts of Chitungwiza, including the replacement of old sewer pipes and the upgrading of trunk sewer lines.
However, residents say the interventions remain inadequate compared to the scale of the crisis affecting the sprawling dormitory town.
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