Eight to 10 people can share a room for $20 in the hostels, built in a horse stable fashion and better known as pamudhadhadha (long line).
“We have lived with these conditions for over two decades now,” said a resident, who only identified himself as Mambo.
He said 64 families were resettled in the hostels in the 1980s after being removed from Mayambara Village, close to Harava Dam, on the understanding that new homes would be built for them.
He said promises to move them into houses that had been built in unit O in Seke, which were occupied by former Zipra combatants and in Unit N where a temporary police camp had been put, were never honoured.
He was worried about children growing up in the hostels because they were being exposed to prostitution. His wife described the place as Sodom and Gomorrah and lamented the lack of adequate sanitary facilities.
“Our biggest challenge is health and sanitation,” she said. “Although we now have a block of toilets built by Chitungwiza Municipality, it cannot cater for all the 64 households. There are only six toilets servicing the entire area.”
Water, which was restored in the area a few months ago is available for short periods of time.
John Ushewekunze was worried about school drop outs, saying boys ended up working as pimps.
Chitungwiza North Town Council Administrative office was reluctant to give details on what it was doing to alleviate the plight of the hostel dwellers.
Post published in: Health