PRISCA MANYIWA-MASUKU

GOKWE – Residents of Gokwe Town have complained of debilitating water shortages caused by power cuts and boreholes that have broken down.
Privilege Bayela said women bore the brunt of water shortages as every house core they do at home needs water. They carry 20kg water buckets on the head and another by the hand, she said.
Women who spoke to The Mirror said they are walking up to a kilometre to boreholes and waiting in long queues because of power cuts and boreholes that have broken down.
Gokwe Urban and Rural Association Spokesperson John Mbabala said the situation is dire with residents going for weeks without water. He also said that women and girls face the risk of being sexually abused as they walk long distances to fetch water.
Gokwe town chairperson, Lisias Mutengwe confirmed the situation and said that the local authority is planning to repair broken down boreholes and sink new ones.
“We are mobilising resources to repair the boreholes and we have budgeted for three boreholes to be sunk in areas like Mapfungautsi where there is an increase in population,” said Mutengwe.
He however, said the matter of supplying water to the town is the responsibility of Zinwa.
ZINWA spokesperson, Marjorie Munyonga said supplies in Gokwe are normal except during times of power cuts and breakdowns. She however, said that the authority was working to bring back broken boreholes.
“There are normal supplies in Gokwe except for instances where the plant experiences power cuts or breakdowns. At the moment ZINWA is working on bringing back four boreholes to further improve the water situation in Gokwe,” said Munyonga.
“Water supply is a major problem in Gokwe especially with these power cuts. We can go for more than a week without water. I stay in Ward 4 and we walk a distance of more than 2km to fetch water because the borehole in our ward is broken down.
“This is a big challenge to women because water is life. Everything we do at home requires water. We have challenges where the girl child can be abused as they go long distances to fetch water,” said Bayela.