Binga schools forced to close

SCHOOLS around Binga Centre in Matabeleland North have reportedly sent pupils home and are only running Form Four examination classes while most Government departments face closure following an electrical fault which resulted in both power and water being cut from the centre.

Officials and residents said people were now using water from the Zambezi River putting themselves at the risk of contracting water borne diseases. The situation started after a Zesa transformer in Deka Drum broke down, affecting the pumping of water to the centre.

This resulted in Binga Government High School and Binga Primary School sending pupils home as they feared an outbreak of diseases as they could not operate without running water in the toilets. Also affected is Binga District Hospital, Government Departments such as the Registrar’s Office, Zimbabwe National Parks and Management Authority, the District Administrator’s Office, Binga Rural District Council offices while shops have reportedly lost perishable foods as fridges stopped working.

The affected suburbs are Secondary, Donga, Chilila, Govera, Hospital, Garikayi, Lakeview, Low Density and Immigration.

“People are now using the bush to relieve themselves and this may lead to diseases while there are also fears of elephant attacks as the animals are always roaming around nearby bushes. We are also now fetching water directly from the crocodile infested Zambezi River,” a Binga resident told

The situation is also affecting people from the whole of Binga District as they cannot access services from Government departments with those intending to apply for national identity cards being turned away.

“Schools are not spared and they have been sending children back home every morning,” another resident said.

Binga RDC chief executive Mr Joshua Muzamba said the situation could lead become disastrous if not attended to urgently.

“We have been without water and the issue has been taken over by the Civil Protection Unit which is now co-ordinating to quicken restoration of sanity. As council we are obviously affected because all our projects have halted because of lack of water and electricity. We look forward to having this solved urgently to avert a disaster,” he said.

Binga District Administrator Mrs Lydia Ndethi-Banda who chairs the district CPU said maintenance teams were on the ground working on repairing the broken down transformer. No comment could be obtained from Zesa.