By Margret Chogugudza and Mjamaru- Chitownews reporters.
A rogue war veteran and farmer who operates a dam on Manyame river upstream of Prince Edward dam is behind the worsening water crisis in the town of Chitungwiza. The arrogant farmer closed his dam wall disrupting the natural flow of water in the Manyame river starving Prince Edward dam which provides water to Chitungwiza residents resulting in the current acute water shortages bedeviling the town. The water levels in Prince Edward dam has dropped precipitously which the farm dam is almost full to capacity.
Chitownews investigative reporter recently established that Chitungwiza current water woes are being exacerbated by a stubborn war veteran farmer who operates a dam upstream of Prince Edward dam. The farmer is alleged to have closed his dam interrupting the river’s natural flow so that he can irrigate his tobacco crop. The Zanu PF apologist who is well known war veteran is being held responsible by Chitungwiza residents of channeling water from Manyame River to water his sprawling tobacco crop resulting in the drying up of the Prince Edward dam.
During an interviews with Chitownews recently, a public health expert working with the Ministry of Health who choose to remain anonymous said “The farmer is very stubborn and arrogant as he is using his 50 horse power irrigation system to irrigate his tobacco during the dry season yet there is a serious water crisis in the town”. The public health expert adds on that, “The farm is not located in the rightful place because the dam should be used to supply the residents of Chitungwiza with water”.
Residents are up in arms with a well-known Zanu PF apologist and are threatening to march and confront the war veteran. One resident interviewed by Chitownews recently, suggested that residents must mobilise and march onto the farm and forcibly open the dam wall gates. Another resident, Varaidzo Chiringa (27) said, “The war veteran must face the music for denying Chitungwiza residents the right to access water which is a basic human right”.
“You cannot the put the whole community at risk because you want to irrigate your tobacco. As a community we are facing the challenge of water shortage and we might even have to deal with the problem of cholera outbreak yet someone is using such amount of water which can be treated and be of use to the whole community for his own benefit” said Ashton Bumhira (29).
Farai Chivasa (34), said “We are not happy about this because other farmers are waiting for rain water but he is irrigating, what is so special about him”.