Hurungwe Rural District Council bought a borehole drilling rig with devolution funds in 2021 and has been drilling community boreholes at low-cost for communities and even individuals across the district can access the rig for a cost-recovery charge.
While the rig was bought to avail clean water to collective communities at a minimal charge by the council, it has also seen villagers requesting for its services at a slightly higher charge but cheaper as compared to private drillers as per the council's policy. The council has also given the communities and individuals a one-year guarantee after drilling..
Speaking last Thursday during the council's week-long pre 2025 budget consultations meetings at Zvipani Business Centre, individuals, village heads and businessperson commended the council for purchasing the rig as a solid use of its devolution budget and use of devolution funds towards development.
The council devolved budget consultations to all the parts of the district to incorporate every view and contribution.
A youth, Andrew Diriza said the services of the rig had transformed lives in the area. "We are grateful to the council for availing the rig to the communities and individuals at relatively low cost. This dovetails with President Mnangagwa's mantra of leaving no place and person behind.
"As communities, we were having challenges in accessing clean water and through the 'Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo' call we have been contributing funds towards drilling and installation of community-owned boreholes."
A farmer, Mr Munyaradzi Ngandini weighed in saying the introduction of devolution funds had lessened the burden on the communities.
"Devolution funds have made life easier for us as we have seen construction of clinics, schools and even road rehabilitations. This means, the council won't peg yearly taxes high to meet its end of the responsibilities.
"We are however pleading with the council to peg borehole drilling charge for individuals at par with for communities. This is so because culturally, as Zimbabweans, we literally share water sources. Pegging borehole drilling for an individual higher as compared to one for communities derails efforts by President Mnangagwa's Vision 2030 of an upper-middle-income economy," he said.
Matau Village head, Mr Badwell Matau, and Mushure Village head, Mr Aaron Majojo, said community inclusion during consultations was a sign of achieving an all-inclusive budget.
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Hurungwe RDC chairman Mary Mliswa-Chikoka, who chaired the meeting, said the 200-metre borehole rig which is expected to alleviate water challenges in the district, was supposed to be maintained for longevity and sustainability.
"All of our 26 Wards have safe water challenges and water tables normally drop during summer. We acquired the 200-metre drilling rig so that some areas that are close to the game area where water tables are low will be able to receive water. This will also address gender disparity issues brought up by the unavailability of water. But, for council to avail the service, it pegged prices differently for individuals and communities according to its policy," she said.
The borehole rig was acquired to meet the country and United Nations' sustainable development goal for safe and potable water delivery while at the same time providing water for livestock and horticulture.
