10m euros boost for Chegutu

THE European Union is set to inject 10 million euros towards infrastructural development, water and sewer reticulation in Chegutu to alleviate the recurrence of the cholera outbreaks.

This comes after Zimbabwe attended the African-Caribbean Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU) joint parliament assembly held in Brussels Belgium last month.

According to information availed by Chegutu Municipality, the town is currently relying on dilapidated water and sewer pipes which were reportedly laid in the 1950s, when the population could have been six times smaller than current figures.

In an interview yesterday, Chegutu West MP Cde Dexter Nduna, who was also part of the delegation which attended the joint parliament session, said the European Commission and the EU development fund experts were in constant touch with Zimbabwe to assist in fighting water-borne diseases. “I have been exchanging emails with the local representatives and the European representatives, the European commission and the EU Development Fund experts with the view of making sure that Zimbabwe receives a grant that will see the resuscitation and rehabilitation of water and sewer reticulation in Chegutu. The EU will soon be availing 10m euros for the water and sewer reticulation.”

He said the EU has expressed its willingness to finance the project after Chegutu recorded at least 400 deaths during the 2008 cholera outbreak.

Another four people died of cholera early this year.

The cholera outbreaks, Cde Nduna said, had scared away investors who feared for their health.

Chegutu Municipality produces about 10 mega litres of water per day, but only accounts for three mega litres owing to the serious water leakages caused by the corroded and dilapidated water pipes.