Flawed borehole drilling project angers Chirundu villagers

LILLIAN CHIKANDI writes

DELAYS by the local authority to sink boreholes in some parts of Chirundu district have angered villagers who paid K1, 500 towards the project.

Villagers of Kanepala, Kabanana,
Chiliindi and Kayuni among others complained over delays by Chirundu district council to drill boreholes in their respective areas since 2017 when they paid the money.

One of the villagers Mr. Eugene Mate of Kanepala village complained bitterly because in the absence of boreholes, people were being forced to walk 3km to access water in the crocodile infested Zambezi River.
He said people were being killed by the reptiles while others lost either their legs or arms, a situation he described as very unfortunate.

Mr. Alfred Hamitaba of Kabanana also charged that the council was not helping them sink a borehole in the area and feared that livestock and human beings would be affected because of lack of water.
Meanwhile, Chirundu District Council secretary Mr. John Mwanza confirmed that villagers paid K1,500 ech to the council when an NGO, Living Water International was in the business of drilling boreholes and did a commendable job.

Mr. Mwanza explained that Living water International managed to drill some boreholes but they were dry hence being abandoned.
He said the organisation run out of money and stopped its projects and was no longer operating in the district.