Some villagers in Tsholotsho say they are being forced to long distances to fetch water as the El Nino-induced drought continues to take its toll in remote parts of Zimbabwe.
Tsholotsho district in Matabeleland North province receives very little rainfall and villagers from Garia, Sibantubanye, Jalume and Qhubekani complained that their areas do not have adequate water sources.
They said the villages have few boreholes, which dry up during the dry summer seasons.
In an interview, ward 8 councillor Jazz Sibanda, the councilor for ward eight that consists of the four villages, said his area was facing perennial shortages, but the situation was worse this year due to the drought.
“The unavailability of boreholes has hugely affected us,” Sibanda said.
“There are many villagers in ward 8 and they cannot get enough water.”
“In Garia we have three boreholes only and villagers now have to go all the way to the Manzamnyama River to get water.
“We have tried talking to the council to solve this problem that we are facing but no action has been taken.
- Water shortages haunt Tsholotsho villagers
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“There is a dam in Garia, which is called Cijima that used to receive water from the Kanana River, but the source was blocked in the 1980s.”
Sibanda said he made a proposal at a full council to have the source of water for Cijima Dam to be reopened.
Sibanda said unblocking the water source could benefit several wards in Tsholotsho including wards 1, 2, 10, and 21.
Tsholotsho North legislator Libion Sibanda said the water shortages were prevalent across the constituency.
“The water shortage is problematic, not only in ward 8, but the whole of Tsholotsho, but ward 8 is the worst affected,” he said.
“It is a huge issue especially for livestock and people.
“People are now forced to travel long distances just to access water.
“The available boreholes do not cater for everyone's needs.
“Villagers are only allowed to get five buckets each from the boreholes for two days.”
