Harare, Bulawayo residents congratulated for fight against pre-paid water meters

Gwanda Residents Association has congratulated the Harare and Bulawayo residents for successfully blocking the implementation of pre-paid water meters.

The Gwanda Residents Association said it would like to congratulate its big brothers at Bulawayo and Harare residents associations and the residents at large for standing up and fighting against the evil prepaid water meters.

"It is sweet news to read news headlines that both Harare and Bulawayo have bowed down to citizen pressure to say no to prepaid water meters and left the evil meters open as an option for the elite to adopt at their discretion," said Gwanda residents Association in a statement.

"The news is more so sweet music to us the residents of Gwanda as it comes at a time when we are in the process of regrouping and formulating a strategy of our own resistance to the meters."

The association said this is more strengthening to us as Gwanda as it comes in the back ground of the Ministry of Local Government vowing to make Gwanda a pilot project for compulsory prepaid water metres in the country.

"It also comes at a time when we are in the process of rejecting our Municipality's application for borrowing powers to borrow $100 000 to purchase the prepaid water meters," said the association.

"We are very much aware that the Ministry has already approved council's application to borrow even though objections are still open until the 2nd of February 2016 and we know that the tender for the supply of the metres has already been awarded. We are not at all moved by that but instead more motivated to resist this undemocratic and unconstitutional way of governing us as citizens."

The association said the Bulawayo and Harare victories have come in handy to motivate even those of them  who had previously bowed to undue political pressure and threats and chickened out or sold out on the cries of their people.

"Going forward this is going to help us speak with one voice as we develop the "we can also do it" zeal in us and push this fight to the furthest limit. As residents of Gwanda we are fully aware of the challenge that lies ahead of us that we are the focus of the whole nation. Defeat on us is defeat for the entire nation and we shall not under any circumstance allow to be the sacrificial lamb for the whole country," said Gwanda Residents Association.

"We therefore at this juncture would like to invite all other urban residents in the country particularly Harare and Bulawayo and human rights organisations to turn your focus and join us in Gwanda in the battle of Zimbabwe against prepaid water meters."

The association said this is certainly bound bit to be the easiest of fights but united as Zimbabwe residents they can win the battle and send their united message through. Our victory is everyone's victory and our loss is everyone's loss.

"Gwanda residents say No to compulsory prepaid water meters on the poor. Water is our right and paying for it our our responsibility," said the association/