The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) has finally handed over the Gwanda water plant to the Municipality of Gwanda, much to the excitement of the residents. The water plant wrangle spanning 26 years old saw residents of Gwanda going for days without the precious liquid due to nonpayment of water bills by the Municipality of Gwanda (MOG) to ZINWA. This then caused a lot of challenges that were affecting Gwanda residents.
The water plant was handed over on the 1st of July 2022, with MOG and the Ministry of lands and agriculture and ZINWA signing a memorandum of agreement to the effect of Gwanda finally having control of water supply to the town, though contents of the agreement are only known by the signatories. However, ZINWA shall continue supplying bulk water to the local authority. Community Youth Development Trust working with youths from the town, Residents Association and other stakeholders have been imperative in this long journey as they petitioned and engaged parliament on the need to have the water plant controlled by MOG.
On the 3rd of January 2022, CYDT working with the residents association petitioned both ZINWA, the council and the Provincial Minister of State following the installation of bulk prepaid water meters on the main water line to the residents. This left residents affected with serious water challenges as the council was supposed to pay before the service was provided. After the petition, the installation of the bulk water meter was halted, however with ZINWA citing technical challenges.
Wellington Nare, the Secretary General of the Gwanda Residents Association had this to say:
‘We are happy that the MOG is now in control of the water treatment plant. This is because of collective efforts of organizations like CYDT, its youths, the residents association and other stakeholders who were involved one way or the other. Petitions, meetings and platforms have been created by CYDT to engage duty bearers and policy makers on this issue. I remember one time, we stormed the council chambers carrying placards and empty buckets shouting that ZINWA must go. This was after the town had gone for more than 10 days without water. ZINWA had cut off water because of the debt that is being owed by MOG. I am happy that finally the local authority shall run its affairs without the meddling of a third party’, Nare said.
As much as the water plant has been handed over, MOG still owes ZINWA a lot of money. The local authority owes ZINWA $270, 5 million as at 1 March 2022 and the Municipality was required to pay $18 million a month to clear their legacy debt and purchase bulk water. After the handing over of the water treatment plant, MOG called a meeting with CYDT and other stakeholders where the Town Clerk updated on the hand over. Priscilla Nkala explained to the stakeholders that as much as the plant had been handed over, the MOG still has to pay for the debt and ZINWA has given them up to the 31st of August to pay up the debt, hence MOG is pleading with everyone who owes council to pay up their bills.
‘We have taken over the plant and it is all thanks to the stakeholders who worked tirelessly towards that. The onus is now on everyone who owes council to pay up so that we in turn pay ZINWA before the 31st of August’, Nkala said.
The long awaited hand over-take over process is in line with the 1996 government directive that was given to ZINWA to handover water treatment plants to local urban authorities. It is also in tandem with President Emerson Mnangagwa`s declaration that ZINWA should hand over the water treatment plants to local councils.
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