Ray of hope for Gimboki residents

ABOUT 5 000 households in the Gimboki South Housing Project in Dangamvura in Mutare will soon be having tapped water after 16 years of waiting, with the first phase of water reticulation work now 80 percent complete.

The Manica Post can reveal that the settlement which has been dysfunctional for 16 years and now being regularised — will be having tapped water by May 31, 2024, courtesy of 245 000 Euros secured by Mutare City Council from the Netherlands Government.

The money will benefit a total of 11 480 residents in the first phase of the project.

A Memorandum of Agreement between City of Mutare and VEI B.V regarding the project was signed.

The project aims to enhance sustainable access to water and sanitation facilities by strengthening water utilities, improving operational and financial operations, increasing access to water infrastructure investment finance, and promoting peer-support arrangements among water operators.

The developments are in tandem with Gimboki Housing Scheme’s identification as a priority project under the National Development Strategy (NDS1) — an indication of Government’s commitment to restore sanity at the fast growing urban settlement.

Since 2007, the housing project has been causing City of Mutare serious headaches, and in 2015, Government instituted a probe into the housing scheme and a litany of regularities were unearthed, including mishandling of beneficiaries’ funds by co-operatives.

Issues of double allocation of stands were also uncovered.

As the drama unfolded, frustrated beneficiaries moved on site and built shacks, thereby establishing an illegal and dysfunctional settlement.

Apart from many other challenges, residents in the area have lived with the water crisis which deepened over decades as the deep wells that were sunk dried up. The few boreholes could not cope with the pressure from the growing population.

Most residents are flocking to Gimboki for cheap accommodation.

Clashes over water in Gimboki has been a common occurrence over the years.

However, speaking during a recent tour of the project by Netherlands Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Ambassador Magret Verwijk, Mutare City Council’s director for engineering and technical services, Engineer Michael Kerith said:

“On the Gimboki South Partial Servicing Project, we secured 245 000 Euros for water reticulation to benefit 11 480 residents. Phase One of the project is 80 percent complete.

“The name of the project is Gimboki South Partial Servicing Project which is located in Dangamvura, Mutare. The completion date is scheduled for May 31, 2024. The project scope includes laying of main pipelines, completion of Phase One reticulation network, rock blasting, excavation and pipeline laying.

“We have also done well on community engagement. We are having an average participation of 30 volunteers from the residents on a daily basis (10 women and 20 men). This contributes to community capacity building and fosters a sense of ownership.”

Gimboki South Housing Servicing Project Phase Two includes the construction of 10.1km of the water transmission and distribution line network.