By Thandiwe Garusa
HARARE residents have strongly condemned the government’s push to privatise water services, arguing that this move will primarily benefit politically connected elites at the expense of ordinary citizens.
The Local Government Ministry is pushing for the privatisation of water services in Harare, including the transfer of the council-owned Morton Jaffray Water Treatment Plant to a private company.
In a statement, the Harare Residents Trust (HRT) and the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) condemned government interference in local governance, warning it would limit citizens’ water access and undermine local authorities’ autonomy and revenue control.
“We view this as a well-calculated tactic to transfer key local government responsibilities, such as water service provision, to politically connected elites.
“Local authorities should have the freedom and authority to make decisions, manage their jurisdictions, and generate revenue without interference.
“The central government’s push to privatise water services in Harare, including transferring the Morton Jaffray Water Treatment Plant to a private company under the pretext of rehabilitation, amounts to sanctioned theft.
“This move undermines the financial foundation of the local authority, further weakening its ability to serve the community,” the statement reads.
The Local Government Ministry recently stated that the proposal for water privatisation stems from local authorities’ failure to fulfill their mandate. Under this project, 650,000 prepaid water meters will be installed in major cities.
The residents’ associations pointed out that since the initial prepaid water metering project in Harare was unsuccessful, there is growing uncertainty over whether the true aim of privatisation is to improve water services or to benefit politically connected individuals.
“This raises more questions than answers, leaving uncertainty about whether the goal is to create opportunities for politically connected individuals or to genuinely improve water services.
“We emphasize that installing prepaid water meters will not address the root governance issues that have long undermined water service delivery in Harare.
“Fundamental problems of transparency and accountability within both the City of Harare and the central government must be resolved first.
“This forced privatisation of water services poses significant public health risks and endangers human lives,” the statement added.
The associations also accused Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume of pushing for a water services takeover without citizen input or full council approval.
“Regrettably, rather than engaging in a consultative process, the Harare Mayor has taken a leading role in facilitating the takeover of water services without involving citizens or securing full council resolutions.”
The residents’ associations further warned that water privatisation will ultimately fail, wasting public funds and putting residents’ health at risk.
