Mutare : Arda Transau resettlement in Manicaland province has been hit by a diarrhoea outbreak after electricity was switched-off from its water pumps effectively cutting its clean water supply four months ago.
By NORMA TSOPO
Local councillor, Moses Mujaji told journalists during a Zimbabwe Union of Journalists tour of the Odzi community this week that the local clinic was averaging six cases daily and feared a typhoid outbreak as some villagers now rely on the nearby Odzi River.
“Our clinic is now receiving five to six cases of diarrhoea daily. We fear a typhoid outbreak because we do not have clean water supply for quite some time now,” he said.
Mujaji said residents were failing to service the high electricity bills due to indigence as there are no income-generating activities.
Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) is allegedly charging commercial rates to this communal settlement. They are in arrears for RTGS 353 000.
Chairperson for (ARDT) Arda Transau Relocation Development Trust Cephas Mujuru added that they have a debt burden since most of them are not employed and have no reliable source of income.
“Most people here are not employed, some are old and cannot secure reliable income or income generating projects, farming is out of the question because we do not have water,” he said.
Two children died in Odzi river during previous water crises.
Arda Transau resettlement was established more than ten years ago when people of Chiadzwa were moved to pave way for diamond mining.
