Kariba To Disconnect Water As Cash Woes Mount

Cash-strapped Kariba Municipality is tomorrow expected to start disconnecting water supplies to all of its residents, acting town clerk Champion Nyaude announced in a statement.

“Council urges its stakeholders, residents and ratepayers to pay their council bills on time to enable the provision of uninterrupted services. Council will commence water service disconnection exercise on all defaulting properties effective Tuesday May 17, 2022,”said Nyaude.

The move by the local authority has also been supported by the residents, with Kariba Urban Residents Association spokesperson Samson Coffee, saying:

“This is the only way to effect payments. Residents should at least pay part of their debt for improved service delivery. We don’t want those paying, to be inconvenienced by defaulters”.

A month ago council was disconnected from the national grid by the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company over a longstanding electricity debt which hovered around $27 million.  The council later negotiated for a payment plan.

As of March 2022, council owed service providers $290 million, while it owes its creditors $257 million.

Council creditors include the National Social Security Authority, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, Local Authority Pension Fund and Zesa Holdings, among others. private media.

Zwnews