Bulawayo pleads for US$15m stuck at Treasury

Civic society organizations (CSOs) in Bulawayo have called on the Parliament of Zimbabwe to compel the Treasury to swiftly release the remaining funds from a US$15 million allocation requested by the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to address the ongoing water crisis in the city. This request follows the approval by the Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion.

This week, representatives from several Bulawayo-based CSOs, including the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association and the Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights, submitted a joint position paper to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, as well as the Thematic Committee on Sustainable Development Goals. The committees were in Bulawayo to conduct a fact-finding mission regarding the critical water issues affecting the community.

In their position paper dated September 23, the CSOs emphasized that improved investments in water and sanitation directly impact national development. They highlighted the necessity for the funds to be released in US dollars to avoid conversion losses that could further hinder progress.

"We beseech the Executive to put in place critical affirmative measures and procedures to assist the BCC in addressing immediate water infrastructure and service delivery concerns," the paper stated. It further urged an increase in national budget allocations for water service infrastructure by at least 10% from the previous year's budget and advocated for the expedited completion of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam and associated infrastructure to ensure a consistent water supply for Bulawayo.

The organizations also called for a reassessment of the Zimbabwe National Water Authority's role in light of the constitutional devolution enacted in 2013, noting the authority's ongoing capacity constraints in fulfilling its bulk water mandate.

To improve water and sanitation financing, the CSOs proposed the adoption of innovative funding mechanisms such as climate funds, social impact bonds, and revenues from the country's abundant natural resources, including diamonds, gold, lithium, and coal.

Additionally, the groups urged the Executive and Parliament to strengthen national and local water governance frameworks to enhance accountability and transparency in water service delivery. They advocated for the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) to publicly disclose monthly dam water level reports, disaggregated by province and district, to ensure proper information dissemination regarding water security.

The CSOs also requested a detailed accounting of the US$2 billion raised for disaster relief, seeking clarification on which sectors benefited and the geographic areas impacted by the funding.

The position paper underscores that the water crisis in Bulawayo is not a recent phenomenon but a historical issue rooted in the city's development trajectory. Documented evidence indicates that as early as 1894, shortly after the city's establishment, water conflicts were already a pressing concern, with voices raised about water shortages by 1909.

"Addressing the Bulawayo water shortage crisis, therefore, needs to take both a historical and contemporary approach," the paper concluded, highlighting the acute water shortages exacerbated by socio-economic, environmental, and political factors.

In December 2023, the BCC was forced to implement a city-wide water-shedding program, limiting water access to just 120 hours per week in response to dwindling supplies. The CSOs reaffirmed the urgency of the situation and called for immediate action from the government to mitigate the ongoing crisis affecting Bulawayo residents.