'She died for a bucket of water'

'She died for a bucket of water'

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By Staff Reporter

A HARARE woman died on the spot Friday after being hit by a motor vehicle while fleeing from municipal police who were assaulting residents fetching water from a vandalized water pipe.

The victim, 42-year-old Veronica Arufanepi was among a group of Mabvuku residents who have gone for three weeks without water.

In desperation, the residents have resorted to vandalizing water pipes in order to access the precious commodity.

A witness said the residents were ambushed by the municipal officers
who started meting instant justice on them shortly after dawn.

“The residents, mostly women were fetching water from the water point when municipal police suddenly emerged from the bush and started assaulting them.

"The residents arrived at the point at dawn. In confusion, and the municipal police still assaulting her in hot pursuit, the woman was knocked down by a vehicle and died, just like that. She died for a bucket of water,” the witness said.

Harare police spokesperson, Inspector Loveless Rupere confirmed the death, but alleged that the woman started running away after seeing the municipal police.

Two months ago, local MDC MP Timothy Mubhau said the solution to Mabvuku’s water problems lies in digging borehalls as the commission running the affairs of the capital city has failed to find a lasting solution to the water woes.

The commission is headed by Sekesai Makwavarara, a former MDC councillor who was wooed to Zanu PF by local government minister Ignatius Chombo.

Water problems have become a national headache in Zimbabwe mainly due to lack of foreign currency to purchase water treatment chemicals, and the government’s policy failures.

In Bulawayo where residents are experiencing similar problems the city relies on two days Insiza and Inyankuni that provides 90 000 cubic meters of water every day against a daily requirement of 141 000 cubic meters.
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