Chivi North villagers have praised the Government for recognizing them as a priority group in the ongoing Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme which is being implemented by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA).
Under the programme, ZINWA is set to drill and equip a borehole for each of the country’s 35 000 villages by 2025.
Each village will also be empowered with a nutrition garden that will have a wide range of fruit trees.
A solar-powered borehole, two 10 000-litre storage tanks and four potable water taps have so far been installed and is already servicing a community which had been consuming unsafe water from the Chida waterhole for decades.
According to Prevail International, the company ZINWA contracted to install the facility, a one-hectare drip technology horticulture garden near the borehole will soon be operational, in line with the programme.
Residents in the area praised the Government for the initiative with some indicating that they had never had clear borehole water in their households.
“It’s sad that it is only coming now when we are of age, my entire life I have never used clean water.
“Thanks to President Mnangagwa, we have been remembered, no more boiling water to make it safe for drinking,” said one of the villagers.
Speaking to journalists, Chivi North constituency aspiring parliamentarian Godfrey Mukungunugwa hailed the strategic citing of the borehole saying it gives relief to the three wards that were previously over-reliant on Chida.
“This area is a dark corner, it is too far from the main routes and when support comes, people here are overlooked as priority is given to those close to main roads.
“This resulted in three wards overly depending on Chida but I’m glad the borehole facility has been stationed at this convenient zone, it is a relief,” said Mukungunugwa.
Under the Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme, Prevail International indicated that it is chasing a target of 1 000 borehole installations.
Speaking after receiving a consignment consisting of solar and electric pumps to cater for about 1 000 boreholes over a week ago, the company’s chairman Tempter Tungwarara expressed that they remain within reach of their target.
“So far we have received a consignment for 1 000 boreholes and we are also waiting for the other consignment next month. We remain on course to meet our targeted installations.”
Herald
