Reflections on the Feasibility of Addressing Water Crises in Urban Zimbabwe through Community-Based Management
- October 10, 2019
- Posted by: RSIS
- Categories: IJRISS, Social Science
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue IX, September 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186
Jeremiah Bvirindi1*, Cosmas Chikwawawa2
1,2 PhD Student, College of Business, Peace, Leadership and Governance, Africa University, Mutare, Zimbabwe
*Corresponding Author
Abstract – In some Zimbabwe’s urban areas, water shortages and its quality has become a perennial predicament that has claimed human life and inhibited economic development. A study by Nhapi (2009) revealed that the current problems have been caused by rapid population growth after independence in 1980, inadequate rehabilitation and maintenance of water and wastewater treatment plants, expensive technologies and a poor institutional framework.In this respect, the problem is two-fold that is, inadequate water quantity and poor water quality. In Harare, for instance, water quantity problems have been attributed to the inadequate pumping capacity at Morton Jaffrey Works and Prince Edward Water Treatment Works as observed by (Manzungu and Mabiza, 2004). The quality of drinking water on the other hand has been seriously affected as a result of deteriorating water quality in Lake Chivero. Erratic water supplies and poor sanitation mostly affect the poor as they do not have alternative means. Those who can afford can drill household boreholes or may resort to buying or transport it from other places. The majority however, are forced to dig shallow wells within their yards as was the practice in rural areas. This resulted in unprecedented cholera outbreak in 2008-9, 2017 and 2018, which claimed more than 4,400 lives according to Zimbabwe Government (2017).From UNICEF experience and studies, some community organizations in rural and urban areas have been successful in generating financial resources needed for the extension of services and in acting as providers of services through the operations and management of local utilities popularly known as Community Based Management (CBM). As a result Zimbabwe introduced the CBM concept in rural areas which became a successful initiative (UNICEF, 2003).The concept of community based approach is not new or unique to the water and sanitation sector. The approach has and is being implemented in forestry management, fisheries, game parks, HIV and AIDS programmes among others (OECD, 2015).Community Based approaches to services is supported by several international declarations. The Institute of Water and Sanitation Development (IWSD) (2015) argued that in Zimbabwe, like in many other African states, CBM has been accepted among policy makers, development practitioners, NGOs and developing country governments as the route to sustainable WASH interventions, but with an initial focus on water points only. IWSD gave evidence of steps towards the implementation of CBM in Zimbabwe which started in the early 1990s with a pilot project in Chivi district. By 1997, CBM had been extended to five other rural districts, namely, Makoni, Mutoko, Matobo, Kwekwe and Beitbridge. Experiences in these districts revealed that it was necessary to document some principles upon which CBM could be based and this was successfully done in 1997. CBM is also apparently a viable alternative in Zimbabwe’s urban centres, although it has not been fully implemented. This paper critically reflects on the feasibility of CBM water management in urban Zimbabwe.
Key words: community based management, water, water quality, social capital, Zimbabwe.
