'Ian Smith was better,' says Maridadi

MEMBER of Parliament for Mabvuku-Tafara James Maridadi said the colonial government of Ian Smith was kind to the people of his constituency as it ensured there was water running in the taps.

Maridadi said: "Residents of Mabvuku-Tafara have been without water supplies for a long time now. Ian Smith was kind enough to give us water and now 34 years after independence the government cannot provide this basic need."

Mabvuku is a high density suburb some 17km east of Harare. It encompasses, in particular, the townships that include Old Mabvuku and New Mabvuku, and more generally Old Tafara, and New Tafara.

Old Mabvuku dates back to the 1950's, with the oldest school in the suburb, Donnybrook Primary School built in 1954.

New Mabvuku was built from 1972 by the then Salisbury City Council. Lately, there have been expansions north and east via efforts by would-be house owners through membership of housing cooperatives and voluntary contributions.

It seems the city council has dumped its duties of providing clean water to Mabvuku-Tafara.

Maridadi said water is supposed to be pumped twice a week into the suburb, but due to major leakages along the pipes and a major valve that is not functioning - this is not the case.

"Water is supposed to be pumped on Wednesday and Sunday into Mabvuku-Tafara but a valve at Donnybrook is not functioning well and the council cannot repair it due to lack of foreign currency," said Maridadi.

The legislator added that they are now boreholes and wells everywhere in Mabvuku-Tafara where residents are fetching water. Some of the wells were dug on top of sewer pipes and residents have been shocked to find raw sewage in the water.

Virginia Muwanigwa, Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe chairperson said; "As women coalition we are concerned by the lack of water and proper sanitation - some people have gone for five years without water.

"We are worried that so many years after independence people are being denied this basic human right. It is a right and we should not be forced to get alternatives in the form of boreholes and wells."

Muwanigwa said she fears the recurrence of cholera in Zimbabwe if the water problems persists.

The cholera outbreak of 2008 was recorded as one of the worst in Africa in recent history. According to World Health Organisation, WHO.

As of December 1, 2008 the Ministry of Health in Zimbabwe has reported a total of 11 735 cholera cases with 484 deaths since August 2008, affecting all provinces in the country.

Zimbabweans fear a cholera outbreak and a continued violation of their right to water.

Dewa Mavhinga, Senior Researcher in the Africa Division at Human Rights Watch, said the government is violating people's rights by lack of water provision.

"Section 77 of the constitution guarantees the right to safe, clean and potable water and requires government to take reasonable legislative and other measures to achieve the progressive realisation of this right.

This simply means government should not be violating this right through failure to provide water to residents, through unreasonable water cuts as well as through the proposed introduction of pre-paid water metres for residents across the country."

Mavhinga said all local council laws that empower city councils to implement water cuts for reason of non-payment without clearance by the courts are unconstitutional and should be repealed as indicated recently by a High Court Judge."