Bulawayo residents protest water shortage, demand ...

Bulawayo residents protest water shortage, demand action

Philemon Jambaya

Residents of Bulawayo are up in arms over the city’s ongoing water crisis. The Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association recently delivered a letter to the local authority, City of Bulawayo, complaining about severe water rationing and its impact on their lives.

The letter, drafted by Zimbabwe lawyers for Human Rights representing the residents, highlights water outages exceeding three weeks in some suburbs. This lack of access to clean water, a fundamental right enshrined in the Zimbabwean Constitution, has crippled essential services. Medical facilities and schools are reportedly struggling, urging students and staff to bring water from home.

The BPRA demands immediate action. They propose declaring Bulawayo a water shortage area under the Water Act and urge President Emmerson Mnangagwa to declare a state of disaster under the Civil Protection Act. These measures, they argue, would unlock essential resources and pave the way for long-term solutions.

The letter emphasises the urgency of the situation, especially considering the ongoing cholera outbreak in the country. Residents seek a response within seven days, outlining steps the City of Bulawayo and the government will take to address the crisis.

City of Bulawayo is currently consulting its engineers to formulate a response to the residents’ concerns