Masvingo Residents Face Eviction From Their Homes

The residents had their homes demolished by the government in 2005 in its controversial countrywide clean- up operation known as Murambatsvina. They were resettled by the government in semi finished houses but now the council here said the area had become a health hazard due to lack of proper water and sanitation facilities.

Masvingo city mayor Alderman Femius Chkabuda said an engineer report had declared the area unsuitable as a residential area and therefore council was unable to connect sewer pipes.

“The area was not meant for a residential area. Technically we cannot connect our pipes there. The government just rushed to construct these houses without proper survey,” said Chakabuda.

“Residents who live there do not have proper toilets and have resorted to using blair toilets most of which are already filling up while accessing to clean water has largely remained a pipe dream for most of them,” he added.

Residents, most of who are unemployed, told Radio VOP they were afraid of being homeless again.

“We understand the argument by the city council but we only need a guarantee to have somewhere we can call our home. All the same, staying here is like a life punishment, the conditions are not proper for people to stay here, “said John Kurunzirwa, a resident of the area.

“We are failing to drill boreholes or construct proper blair toilets because we lack money and resources,” he said.