CHITUNGWIZA acting town clerk Japson Nemuseso says the municipality is now waiting for government communication on a service delivery project by a company linked to prophet Walter Magaya.
The government recently roped in Magayay’s Wistmer Investments to undertake a water and sewer reticulation project to address service delivery challenges in the dormitory town.
The Chitungwiza municipality has been failing to provide water consistently to the area’s crowded townships for years.
In 2008, Chitungwiza was the epicentre of a nationwide cholera epidemic linked to poor water sanitation.
According to reports, Magaya’s Wistmer Investments will manage waste collection, sewer management, the regulation of settlement markets and businesses, and water supply in the town.
Nemuseso told Standard People on Friday that they were now waiting for the government on the way forward for the project.
“As things stand, we are now waiting for the ministry on the operationalisation of this project,” he said in a telephone interview.
“Until then, the municipality cannot comment any further.”
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Magaya’s involvement in the project has divided opinion among various stakeholders until the government stepped in.
According to reports, Magaya has sought to allay the fears of some critics who alleged that he was out to swindle residents by promising to end the perennial water woes.
He told the media last week that the project seeks to “provide a reliable supply of potable water, their challenges will be a thing of the past.”
The town has been grappling with water shortages for years, leading to a decline in living standards and public health concerns.
Residents have resorted to unsafe alternatives like open defecation and the bucket system, exposing them to waterborne diseases.
"Our toilets are overflowing, and there's no running water. Weeks go by without a single drop!,” said Martha Shoko, a resident of St. Mary's. "
Chitungwiza Amalgamated Vendors and Informal Traders Association director, Donald Makuvaza, said more private players must be roped in to address service delivery challenges in cities.
“We have been clear that the woes and challenges of Chitungwiza should have a permanent solution to cater and give service to the almost now over a million residents,” Makuvaza said.
“As for private parties coming in where local authorities have failed we give a nod
“The government intervention in the matter gives a clear testimony of the failure by the authority to manage an impending health hazard in terms of waterborne health threats.”
The Wistmer Investments’ proposal covers waste management, water supply, markets, transport, light industry, infrastructure development, ICT perception, and town planning.
