News

Jambezi villagers in desperate fight for water

By Community Podium

For over ten years, villagers in Borehole 86, Nemananga Ward in Jambezi, under Chief Shanaโ€™s jurisdiction, have been locked in a desperate struggle โ€“ 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.
โ€œItโ€™s a daily battle,โ€ lamented Enelesi Mpala, a respected elder in the village.

โ€œThe queue snakes for hours, and sometimes, the borehole simply runs dry. Weโ€™re forced to wake up at the crack of dawn, hoping to get water before the sun even considers rising.โ€

The frustration is palpable. Ignatius Ncube, a local academic and social researcher, accuses local leaders of turning a blind eye to their plight.

โ€œPromises were made, but action? Nowhere to be seen. We deserve better. Water isnโ€™t a luxury, itโ€™s life itself. Sharing a single borehole with animals โ€“ thatโ€™s not what independence was supposed to look like,โ€ he said, his voice thick with anger.

The blame game isnโ€™t helping. Councillor Paul Kapanda for Nemananga Ward acknowledges the single-borehole reality but insists he wasnโ€™t informed.

โ€œThereโ€™s a chain of command, you see. Village heads need to flag issues, not leave me guessing.โ€

However, Headman Simon Chabwa paints a different picture. โ€œThe crisis is real, and weโ€™re working tirelessly to find donors for new boreholes. Some folks here have to trek for kilometers just for a sip,โ€ he confirmed.

This dire situation stands in stark contrast to Zimbabweโ€™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 86โ€™s residents canโ€™t help but wonder โ€“ when will their turn come?

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button