By Community Podium
For over ten years, villagers in Borehole 86, Nemananga Ward in Jambezi, under Chief Shana’s jurisdiction, have been locked in a desperate struggle – a fight for the most basic necessity, water.
The sole borehole serving the community groans under the weight of an ever-growing population and thirsty livestock.
“It’s a daily battle,” lamented Enelesi Mpala, a respected elder in the village.
“The queue snakes for hours, and sometimes, the borehole simply runs dry. We’re forced to wake up at the crack of dawn, hoping to get water before the sun even considers rising.”
The frustration is palpable. Ignatius Ncube, a local academic and social researcher, accuses local leaders of turning a blind eye to their plight.
“Promises were made, but action? Nowhere to be seen. We deserve better. Water isn’t a luxury, it’s life itself. Sharing a single borehole with animals – that’s not what independence was supposed to look like,” he said, his voice thick with anger.
The blame game isn’t helping. Councillor Paul Kapanda for Nemananga Ward acknowledges the single-borehole reality but insists he wasn’t informed.
“There’s a chain of command, you see. Village heads need to flag issues, not leave me guessing.”
However, Headman Simon Chabwa paints a different picture. “The crisis is real, and we’re working tirelessly to find donors for new boreholes. Some folks here have to trek for kilometers just for a sip,” he confirmed.
This dire situation stands in stark contrast to Zimbabwe’s National Water Policy of 2012, which promises equitable access to clean water for all citizens. With numerous NGOs actively drilling solar-powered boreholes across the country, Borehole 86’s residents can’t help but wonder – when will their turn come?
