ZIMCODD shoots down 35k borehole target

LETTICIA MAGOMBO

The Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) says the government target of drilling 35 000 boreholes in rural areas by 2025 is unattainable given its track record of not fulfilling its set mandate.

Zimbabwe has been dealing with a water crisis for over a decade as supplies of clean and safe water become less and less available.

Boreholes have become the major source of water not only for individuals but for communities as well even in urban residential areas. The government in an attempt to improve the availability of clean water has started its own borehole drilling schemes under the guidance of Zimbabwe National Water Authority.

In a recent report, ZIMCODD said the chances of the target being not met were high, although the borehole scheme was a beneficial one.

“The question however, is whether the 35 000 target is feasible or not given the government’s history of ambitious plans which do not translate into reality,” ZIMCODD said.

Under the Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme, the government last year drilled 267 boreholes. This year, the target has been set at 5000.

“Having failed to meet the 2021 target, the government goes further to double, if not triple the target for 2022. This raises the question on whether this is a realistic target and what has been the progress 7 months into the year? Assuming that by the end of 2022, the country would have delivered on the 2021 and 2022 targets, the feasibility of the country delivering 28 200 boreholes in the remaining 3 years is still questionable and next to impossible,” ZIMCODD said.

Lack of resources, ZIMCODD said, is one of the major reasons some provinces had fallen behind on building the boreholes on time.

It said that despite developments made through devolution and decentralisation, the meagre allocations and delays in the disbursements of devolution funds across the 10 provinces have continued to militate against efficient service delivery.

ZIMCODD said the government should make use of the windfall from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to boost clean water availability. Last year, Zimbabwe received US$961m from the IMF.

“Poor and inadequate water and sanitation is a leading cause of poverty, morbidity, and mortality in a number of countries including Zimbabwe and as such prioritising water and sanitation will go a long way in alleviating poverty and reducing inequalities with regards to disparities in access to safe drinking water.”