PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has invoked his emergency powers under the Presidential Powers to protect the assets of the Ruwa Local Board from sale and seizure.
The High Court had previously ordered, on June 18, 2024, that the board’s assets be auctioned to satisfy a debt.
However, the attachment of these assets, which include essential service delivery equipment, posed a serious risk to the well-being of Ruwa’s 300 000 residents.
The equipment in question — refuse compactors, graders, sewer pumps and vehicles — plays a critical role in maintaining basic services such as garbage collection, road maintenance and sewage management.
In the latest Government Gazette, Mnangagwa said the absence of these services could lead to uncollected waste, blocked sewers and burst water pipes, all of which present a grave risk of diseases like cholera, dysentery and typhoid.
“And whereas the attachment of the movable assets of Ruwa Local Board includes critical service delivery equipment such as refuse compactors, graders, honey sucker, motor vehicles and sewer pumps essential for the delivery of basic services to the residents of the local authority,” the Gazette reads.
“And whereas the inability to provide the aforesaid services in consequence of the attachment is likely to expose residents of the local authority and its neighbours to catastrophic health risks resulting from uncollected refuse, no road works, sewer blockages and interrupted water supply from burst pipes.”
“And whereas it is estimated that the lives of over 300 000 residents are at the immediate risk of contracting diseases such as dysentery, typhoid and cholera unless immediate action be taken to restore the ability to the local authority to provide the necessary services to prevent any such outbreak.
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“Now, therefore, His Excellency the President, in terms of section 2 of the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act [Chapter 10:20], hereby makes the following regulations, all assets of the local authority that were attached or are threatened with attachment and sale in execution by virtue of High Court order number HC 5365/22, are hereby released from attachment.”
The regulation granted Ruwa continued possession of the essential equipment, while enabling it to resume service delivery without further delay.
