Water crisis hit villagers

In a recent interview in the rural area, senior headman Chawilila Syamabbechu the water situation in the area as ‘bleak’.

“Water is a very serious problem. We have many development and self-help projects in the pipeline but without water these cannot succeed. There are no water bodies here. We tried to construct our own dams using local resources but when the rain comes it get destroyed,” said Syamabbechu.

The clear spoken headman added that countless efforts to engage responsible government ministry hit brick wall.

“I am on records in several government offices, appealing for water assistance to no avail. We however appeal to the donor community and the corporate world. If water requesting application where to be kept in offices by now they would have been mountains of them,” complained Syamabbechu.

Most parts of Gokwe North, especially in Zhomba area as well as local business centre, have no dams and rivers.

Blessmore Syamandanda,a villager, said the water woes had been worsened by a lack of boreholes.

“An estimated 450 homesteads fetch water from one well and the population is just too much for one water source,” said Syamandanda.

When our news crew visited the unprotected well, thirsty villagers could be seen converging at a water source near Zhomba primary school and form queues to fetch the water using wheel barrows and ox and donkey driven carts.

“The water shortage also affects our livestock. There is no evidence of government or anyone else stepping in to help address the plight, said one elderly villager.

Some villagers who declined to be identified castigated the local Gokwe- Kabuyuni MP Leonard Chikomba for neglecting their plight. They said the dam they tried to construct using their resources had its walls destroyed.

Local farmer, Emily Gomborejaya said several families were affected as they were relying on the dam to water their gardens.

“The dam used to give us some form of relief,” she said. The villagers are appealing to the government to prioritise water and sanitation programme in the area.