Harare Residents Petition City Council to Address Cholera Outbreak

By Municipal Reporter

Six Harare residents have submitted a petition to Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume calling for immediate action to address the recent cholera outbreak that was confirmed by City Health director Dr. Prosper Chonzi last week.

The residents expressed concern over the increase in the number of cholera cases in recent weeks, and the failure of the Harare City Council to efficiently attend to and provide permanent solutions to perennial sewer bursts, access to clean potable water, and non-collection of refuse.

“Disturbed by the cholera outbreak in the City of Harare that has claimed lives and infected residents living in poor sanitary conditions, and the increase in number of cholera cases over the recent weeks.

“Further disturbed by Harare City Council’s failure to efficiently attend to and provide permanent solutions to perennial sewer bursts, access to clean potable water and non-collection of refuse which are major drivers of waterborne diseases including cholera with a potential to contribute to the spiking and surging of reported cholera cases in Glenview, Budiriro, Mbare and Dzivararekwa,” said the residents

The petitioners noted that the major drivers of waterborne diseases including cholera are the contamination of water sources resulting from sewer bursts, the lack of access to clean potable water, and the non-collection of refuse.

They highlighted a recent incident in Glen View 3 where a sewer burst contaminated a well which residents rely on for domestic purposes posing a health hazard to the residents of Harare.

The petitioners among other issues called on the Harare City Council to prioritize and urgently attend to sewer bursts pipes to prevent further contamination of water sources, which is a major cause of waterborne diseases.

Have a clear road map to replace and refurbish old sewer pipes with new and durable ones as the majority underground pipes have surpassed their life span.

“Take measures to make sure that the waste water treatment plants that is Firle and Crowborough Water Treatment Plant are functional at its full capacity as currently they are depositing raw sewer in Marimba River. The City of Harare to provide alternative water sources in form of bowsers in areas which are cholera hot spots to further prevent the spread of the diseases.

“Call for an emergency all stakeholders meeting for the purposes of information sharing and mobilisation of resources to deal with the cholera outbreak. Conduct awareness campaigns on radio, social media, communities on hand washing, use of end user water purification methods and other interventions that reduce the spread of waterborne diseases,” said the residents