Zimbabwe MPs clash over sewage

LAWMAKERS recently clashed in Parliament over Zimbabwe's worsening sewage crisis, with concerns raised about frequent sewer bursts affecting communities across the country and posing public health risks.

Mbare legislator Darlington Chigumbu challenged government to explain measures being taken to address the growing problem of sewage infrastructure failures in urban areas.

"What measures are in place to assist on the issue of sewage, which is always bursting nationwide, so that our people can live in a clean environment?" he asked.

In response, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Minister Anxious Masuka said responsibility for sewage management lies primarily with local authorities, while government has stepped in to support failing councils through various interventions.

Masuka said service delivery failures were largely linked to the performance of elected local officials and urged voters to elect competent leadership in future elections.

"Firstly, I would want to thank you because you have noted that there is a problem with elected council representatives," he said.

"That is where corruption is . . . Local authorities have the task of providing service delivery, water, sewage and refuse."

The minister said central government had intervened in cases where councils have failed to deliver essential services, citing waste management initiatives such as Geo Pomona as part of efforts to address urban sanitation challenges.

"Currently, the government under the leadership of President ED Mnangagwa has intervened because councils have failed to provide service delivery," he said.

"We now have Geo Pomona, which intervened by providing service in waste removal."

Masuka also outlined several ongoing infrastructure projects aimed at improving water and sanitation systems in major cities.

He said the Gwayi-Shangani pipeline project would address Bulawayo's long-standing water shortages, while the Kunzvi Dam project is expected to improve supply to Harare once completed.

He further noted that government is engaging in public-private partnerships to rehabilitate water treatment systems and improve revenue collection mechanisms, including the introduction of prepaid water meters in some areas.

"We are also working on plans for Harare," he said.

"Government brokered a deal between the City of Harare and a private company to start repairing the water treatment conveyance system and we have seen prepaid meters being installed as part of the revenue model."

The exchange highlighted ongoing tensions between central government and local authorities over accountability for deteriorating urban service delivery, particularly in water, sanitation and waste management systems that have increasingly strained public health standards nationwide.