By Kudakwashe Vhenge
Government has vowed to fund the resuscitation of the country’s largest water treatment plant in a bid to curb the water crisis that is bedevilling Harare and its surrounding areas. This was said by President Emerson Mnangagwa during his familiarization tour of the Morton Jaffray water treatment plant in Norton on Monday. The exercise will see the abandonment of Lake Chivero as a source of water due to high pollution with an option to use Lake Manyame which is seemingly less polluted hence cheaper.“We have agreed that it is cheaper to get water from Manyame than from Chivero. We can still achieve clean water from Manyame. It costs money but my government is financing the program”, he said.
Relevant stakeholders have also been asked to play their part as required of them in the financing of this project.“We want this problem to be behind us. For us to achieve this, all stakeholders l met today (Monday) will do their part and then the government will do its part in terms of financing the project”, said Mnangagwa.The civil society organizations have for long been advocating for the water situation in the country to be declared a national disaster.Water Alliance programs manager Hardlife Mudzingwa urged the government to keep its promise and monitor the implementation of the program.
“We welcome the pledge but our worry is that muromo hauzarirwi nerwizi (talk is cheap). We will be happy if government solidifies its pledge by allocating enough financial resources for that to happen” said Mudzingwa.
Government has also been called to preserve wetlands in Harare as well as prioritize construction of Musami, Muda and Kunzvi dams to ensure decentralization of water sources.