Independence Day Without Water

Community Water Alliance ward structures within Harare have reported cases of long queues at boreholes mainly in the high density suburbs.

Thirty nine years after political independence Zimbabwe is still assert enjoyment of economic and social rights. There is virtually no water in Harare. The challenges of water delivery continue to deteriorate in the country despite constitutional provisions spelling out the human right to water and obligations of the state on fulfillment, respect and protection of human rights.

We call upon an all stakeholders approach to improve water delivery in Zimbabwe. Interventions to improve water delivery should break the sectoralization approach. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development should play a critical role of financial resources availability particularly on capital projects. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe should provide foreign currency. The Zimbabwe National Water Authority should prioritize dams construction and maintenance as well as proper management of catchments through Catchment Councils. The Environmental Management Agency should prioritize preservation of wetlands and pollution control. Citizens should go beyond payment for water and follow their money to ensure that there is effectiveness, accountability, transparency and efficiency in water budget performance. The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement must prioritize water delivery in their short and medium term plans. Local Authorities must prioritize water service provision.

There cannot be economic and social independence without access to available quality potable water. Water is a human right.

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Source: Community Water Alliance