Rusape Residents Wallow In Sewage As Crisis Deepens

By Shingirai Vambe

Residents of Rusape were once again left shaking their heads in disbelief as news of yet another questionable council expenditure filtered through WhatsApp groups late last week. In a town already struggling with basic service delivery, the local authority had purchased a brand-new grey Nissan Navara double cab for the council chairperson, Lovemore Chifomboti.

The announcement sparked immediate outrage among residents, many of whom have grown weary of what they describe as “misplaced priorities” by the very officials entrusted with managing the town’s limited resources.

Barely had the news settled in when reports of a more immediate and pressing problem began to surface. On the popular “Rusape Resident Trust” WhatsApp group, one local complained of raw sewage flooding the streets of the old suburb, Vengere, one among many reports submitted to council in recent weeks.

“The level of ignorance is unprecedented. It seems these officials don’t really care about the people who elected them,” lamented one frustrated resident, Richard Mukuwiri.

Another questioned whether the town even had an engineer tasked with maintaining vital infrastructure.

Indeed, Brian Gwamura, the acting engineer, stepped into the role after the controversial removal of his predecessor, Engineer Chindenga.

Chindenga’s exit came amid a high-profile dispute over busted sewage pipes, allegedly caused by negligence in council operations, a case brought forward by a resident, Godfrey Mufuranhewe.

Chindenga has since fought a protracted legal battle to reclaim his position, highlighting what many see as a pattern of the council prioritizing personal vendettas over urgent service delivery.

The legal wrangling has reached the highest levels of the judiciary. Rusape Town Council, under Solomon Gabaza, has approached the Supreme Court to appeal rulings previously made by the Magistrates’ Court and the High Court. However, according to sources at the Supreme Court, the council failed to submit its heads of argument on time, resulting in a dismissal of their application. They have since reapplied, prolonging a legal saga that residents say has stalled development in the small farming town of Makoni District.

“This is just a war of attrition,” said Menard Saruwaka, a long-time resident, reflecting the widespread frustration felt by citizens who continue to suffer from failing infrastructure.

Rusape residents fears rise as Nyanga has already recorded cases of cholera.

Amid the chaos, Engineer Gwamura provided a glimpse into the challenges faced by council teams during maintenance operations.

“While attempting to fix sewer blockages, we discovered diapers, sanitary pads, and other unknown materials clogging pipes in several areas,” he said via WhatsApp.

He appealed to residents to take responsibility as custodians of public property, emphasizing that community cooperation is critical for the proper functioning of municipal services.

However, Gwamura remained silent on other longstanding issues, notably the provision of clean water and the state of local roads, which have been ravaged by seasonal rains. While funding has been allocated by the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) for road repairs, residents express little confidence that the council will effectively address these problems, citing repeated delays and mismanagement.

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