Outcry over houses on sewer mains Chitungwiza break-ins worry police
CHITUNGWIZA residents have raised concern over houses that are being built on top of main sewer pipes.
This follows a recent development in Zengeza 5 Extension along Zambiringa Road where six residential stands are over sewer pipes.
One of the houses under construction has a manhole in one of the rooms.
A woman, who only identified herself as Mrs Mafusire, said residents were against the development as it resulted in continued sewer blockages.
“We are shocked by what is happening here in Chitungwiza,” she said.
“We built our houses about 25 years ago and this place had been reserved as an open space as it houses the main sewer pipes.
“Recently, we were shocked to see people digging a trench which was a foundation being laid on top of the sewer line. They even destroyed my toilet which I had built outside for my tenants.”
Mrs Mafusire urged Chitungwiza Municipality to act as the development seemed illegal.
SEVEN political activists, who were arrested upon their return from Maldives where they allegedly attended a workshop with intentions to subvert the Government, yesterday made an application for refusal of further remand.
George Makoni, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Gamuchirai Mukura, Nyasha Mpahlo, Farirai Gumbonzvanda, Sithabile Dewa and Rita Nyamupinga told the court that the State was taking inordinate time to complete investigations.
The State, led by Charles Muchemwa, told the court that it was making strides in furnishing the accused with a trial date as the docket had been forwarded earlier in the morning to the Prosecutor-General to fix a trial date.
“We have made an undertaking to provide a trial date, but information we have is that the docket is now with the Prosecutor-Gen
Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent
AN average of nine houses are broken into in Chitungwiza every night, police officer commanding Harare Province Commissioner Bernard Dumbura has said.
Comm Dumbura said this recently while addressing Chitungwiza residents and the business community during the commissioning of a police base at Tilco Industry in Chitungwiza.
He said gone are the days when people believed that the duty of fighting crime was a preserve for the police.
“On average, nine houses are broken into in the whole of Chitungwiza community every night,” Comm Dumbura said.
“Though common, that belief is misguided and retrogressive because it is the community that makes police shine in its
“We are not happy with this development and it looks like council is only concerned policing endeavours.
“Put it in another way, it is the community that suffers most and benefits more in all the dynamics of crime.
“In recognition of the role that the public play in fighting crime, Zimbabwe Republic Police has established a host of community policing initiatives which include, but not limited to, Crime Consultative Committee, Business Against Crime, Home Officer Scheme, Police Constabulary, Neighbourhood Watch Committee and Junior Call.”
Comm Dumbura said communities ought to be thanked through the hard work of police constabularies who were helping in the fight against crime.
“ZRP Harare Province is pleased to acknowledge the good, outstanding works that were done by Chitungwiza Police Constabulary in the past,” he said.
with getting money through shoddy deals,” she said.
“Scores of arrests and recoveries of stolen property were made. The police constabulary is an ever-present, voluntary and dedicated auxiliary wing that complements the regular police force in fighting crime. Let us respect the police constabularies and at no time should we call them “ana ndini ndamubata” or by any other denigrating names. It is a crime to do that.”
Comm Dumbura said police constabularies were not paid any salary, yet their assistance in fighting crime was priceless and equal to that of formal police officers.
He warned errant police constabularies and all police officers, that the ZRP was no home for indiscipline and corrupt officers.
Comm Dumbura said the public needed the best service from the police and they should give then exactly that and nothing less.
“This is greatly disturbing and is not only happening in Zengeza 5 Extension, but around open spaces in Chitungwiza.
“This has to come to an end because we do not want these types of developments. Council should explain why they are selling stands on open spaces which have main sewer lines.”
Another resident, Mr Tinashe Chamboko said: “Unfortunately, they are building on top of the main sewer pipes which have always been there.
“It has resulted in some guys digging trenches which are passing through other people’s houses, destroying their toilets and precast walls.
“They are also blasting underground stones and this has damaged roofs and windows of about three nearby houses.”
Mr Chamboko said the development posed danger to residents and their children.
Chitungwiza Municipality acting town clerk Dr Tonderai Kasu said he was not aware of the development and would investigate.
“I need time to investigate whether the stands were approved or not because we are not aware of the development,” he said.
“I will send my own team to investigate what is happening on the ground because we have so many people invading open spaces.”
There is no guarantee on whether the trial date will be provided on January 31 or not, when they want the accused back in court.”
Magistrate Ms Rumbidzai Mugwagwa is expected to make a ruling today.
Accusations against the seven, who are members of civic society organisations, are that on May 13 last year they connived with their accomplices and travelled to Maldives where they underwent a training workshop organised by a Serbian non-governmental organisation called Centre for Applied Non-Violent Action and Strategies (CANVAS), with intent to subvert a constitutionally-elected Government.
They were arrested upon arrival at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport. Their notes, laptops and cellphones which contained the allegedly subversive materials were recovered and were sent to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe for extraction of evidence.