Sewage floods Chitungwiza homes, cholera fears rise

CHITUNGWIZA –A public health emergency is brewing in the St Mary’s suburb of Chitungwiza, where families are wading through raw sewage that has flooded their homes following heavy rains, sparking fears of a cholera outbreak.

For the residents of Nehanda Close, what should be a festive season has turned into a nightmare, with houses numbered 63 to 66 bearing the brunt of an ongoing sewage crisis that has persisted for over three months. 

The situation reached a new low after recent downpours, causing sewage to overflow and in some cases, violently burst from toilets, rendering homes uninhabitable.

“It is unbearable, we are tired of living in these conditions. We need help, and we need it now,” said one distressed resident, who asked not to be named.

The most immediate concern for the community is the threat of waterborne diseases.

 Stagnant pools of raw sewage now surround homes, creating a perfect breeding ground for pathogens. 

With cholera a persistent threat in Zimbabwe, residents fear it is only a matter of time before illness strikes.

“We are living with the smell and the filth, but soon we could be burying our children if this is not fixed,” another resident lamented.

Despite raising the alarm with the Chitungwiza Municipality two weeks ago, the community feels abandoned. 

According to residents, municipal officials visited the area but left without taking any action, openly citing a lack of resources as the reason for their inaction.

“We reported the case two weeks ago to Chitungwiza Municipality, but they come empty-handed, indicating the issue of lack of resources to solve the problems,” one resident explained. 

This is the second consecutive year the area has faced the same crisis during the rainy season, with no permanent solution in sight.

The continued lack of intervention has left residents in dire straits, calling for urgent help from higher levels of government or humanitarian agencies.

As they wait for a resolution, the people of Nehanda Close remain trapped in their sewage-soaked homes, hoping for relief before a full-blown health catastrophe is declared.