More deaths, no solution as 13 more die from cholera

By Tererai Karimakwenda
14 February 2006

The Health Ministry is reported to have announced that 5 people have died from cholera in Epworth, and another 8 in the Kwekwe and Gokwe districts. This makes a total of 27 people reported to have died of cholera across the country in just over a month, and at least 250 victims are being treated nationwide. This accounts for all the reported cases. As many more people are dying at home and being buried without official reports, the actual numbers are believed to be much higher.

Yet the government has not announced any plans to stem the spread of water-borne diseases, or made any attempt to address the underlying causes, which basically come down to the lack of clean running water, open sewerage and piles of uncollected refuse which are being spread by heavy rains. In fact, the Epworth situation was made by worse by the government itself, which allegedly used rubble from the houses destroyed during Operation Murambatsvina to fill in the water wells that served the local population. Now those families get water from freshly dug unprotected wells and use the bushes nearby to relieve themselves. One report said the five people who died of cholera in Epworth were believed to have drunk infected water at a wedding.

Precious Shumba of The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) told us that officials are misrepresenting the number of deaths from water borne diseases, giving figures much lower than the actual number of deaths. He said the city authorities have been advising residents in the capital to boil their water before drinking, and this in itself is an admission that they know the water does not meet the minimum quality standards set by the World Health Organisation. Shumba said piles of garbage are in every suburb. CHRA believes the illegal commission that is running the capital is diverting funds meant for these services to their own enterprises. He gave as an example the mansion that the Sekesai Makwavarara commission wants to refurbish while residents are denied services.

CHRA began advocating for a boycott of rates by residents late last year, but had only managed a 10% success rate. However Shumba said the campaign has now gained momentum, and they expect a higher response rate by the end of March. CHRA believes Harare residents have now come out of their shell and are demanding that local government minister Chombo remove these unelected officials and organise elections. Shumba said the mood is such that Chombo will have to act soon.