The Zimbabwean government has accelerated its borehole drilling programme in Manicaland province's Marange district to provide safe and clean water for the communities affected by a recent cholera outbreak.

The programme is also being extended to urban areas hit by water shortages, as well as to ensure that all clinics and schools have water on tap.

The Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme, which was launched in 2019, has an initial target of drilling 35,000 rural boreholes, one in every village, however, the target has been extended to include urban areas.

In an interview, Dr Paul Tungwarara, special presidential advisor overseeing the borehole drilling programme, said the new target is to ensure that every Zimbabwean has a borehole within walking distance.

"We responded to the distress calls in Marange and we are drilling boreholes for the communities here so as to ensure that people will not have to deal with medieval diseases like cholera and typhoid. We are also responding to President Mnangagwa's call of

leaving no one and no place behind," he said.

In rural areas, the boreholes will be used for drinking and irrigation of special nutrition gardens that will feed into the national vision of attaining food security and sovereignty. In urban areas, the boreholes will be used to supplement water supplies from existing dams and reservoirs.

Harare and Chitungwiza are expected to get over 200 solar-powered boreholes under the scheme, with another 20 being drilled in Marondera. Other cities like Kwekwe, Bulawayo, and Gweru are also witnessing similar schemes.

This is part of the short-term solution to the challenges faced by urbanites as the government works towards the completion of major dam projects like the Gwayi-Shangani Dam and the Kunzvi Dam, which will supply extra water to Bulawayo and Harare.