Police in Gwanda have reportedly barred residents from holding demonstrations against grinding water shortages in the Matabeleland South capital after city fathers engaged the law enforcement agency.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
Protests organised by the Gwanda Residents’ Association over ongoing water shortages were set for this Wednesday, but failed to take off after the police cancelled the demonstrations at the last minute.
Gwanda faces biting water shortages, resulting in some suburbs going for over a week without supplies, and exposing residents to waterborne diseases.
The Gwanda Residents’ Association, alarmed by the dire situation, sought police clearance on September 28 to hold demonstrations to nudge the city fathers to find a lasting solution to the water crises.
The police okayed the demonstration on October 2, said Bekezela Maduna, the Gwanda Residents’ Association spokesperson, yesterday, but revoked the clearance at the last minute.
“After that clearance we immediately announced to our systems that the demo had been cleared and mobilisation could be intensified. On Monday 5 October at 15:00hrs we were summoned by the police again to appear this time as a full executive of the residents’ association committee to the Dispol’s (district police commander) office.
“It was then that the Dispol announced to the residents’ committee that: The police have been told by the Municipality of Gwanda that they had met with the Water minister [Oppah Muchinguri], who has indicated that Gwanda will immediately be supplied with uninterrupted water supply and so they can no longer sanction the demonstration,” Maduna told Southern Eye.
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No official comment could be obtained from the police, while Gwanda mayor Knowledge Ndlovu was unreachable on his mobile phone.
Maduna added: “All efforts to convince the police against the cancellation of the demonstration fell on deaf ears until a section of the residents’ representative gave in to the police order after threats that if the demonstration went ahead members of the residents’ association committee would be arrested for leading an illegal demonstration.”
Zinwa blames Gwanda Municipality for failing to pay for water supplies and contributing to the intermittent water cuts experienced in the town.
The municipality, however, lays blame on Zinwa for refusing to hand over sewer and water reticulation services to the council in line with a government directive.
