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Herald Reporter 

Villages in Mashonaland Central that have already had their boreholes drilled under the Presidential Borehole Scheme are now developing rapidly, with the standard of living, and especially the quality of life, moving forward at a good pace.

Addressing the Mashonaland Central Star Rally in Centenary on Saturday, President Mnangagwa revealed that Muzarabani District had so far installed 46 boreholes since April, while Mt Darwin District got 40 in the same period.

Muzarabani District is set to have 60 boreholes by August. 

A public-private partnership between the Zimbabwe National Water Authority and a private company, Prevail International, has been hailed as the key to rapid successes in bringing water for household and village garden use to these areas that had experienced water scarcity since independence. 

Touring some of the villages that now have boreholes, the development can be seen to be meaningful.

At Kenwith Farm, under Chief Chiweshe, villagers were enthusiastic as they became the latest beneficiaries of the programme. 

The new boreholes mean hundreds of families can now access clean water from solar-powered boreholes, and kick-start community gardens that will boost nutrition and household incomes. 

The solar powered boreholes pump an impressive 2 800 litres per hour, ensuring that the community’s thirst is quenched, and also that villagers can farm produce for household food security and the market.

Each borehole irrigates a 1ha garden with drip irrigation technology, benefiting about 80 households.

 Since April, the transformative effect of the initiative has been felt here. 

Prevail International, the company drilling and installing the boreholes which will result in about 5 000 households benefiting in Muzarabani District, said the unprecedented drive to ensure water security was aimed at supporting national vision by President Mnangagwa to bring water to over 35 000 villages countrywide. 

This means every village in the country will have a borehole after a recent mapping revealed there were 35 000 villages in total.

“Our drive is to support the vision of President Mnangagwa to bring water to the people and leave no one and no place behind,” Prevail International chairman Mr Paul Tempter Tungwarara said. 

“We have managed to create employment for locals through these gardens, and they also supply the local market, ensuring they earn.” 

Mr Tungwarara said some villagers previously used carts to get clean water from far away areas, but now source it within only a few metres. 

This has led to massive buy-in from villagers who have welcomed the initiative.

“Villagers are happy and as you can see they even volunteer their labour and time to assist in whatever they can, including providing security to our sites,” he said. “There is community ownership.”

Villagers who spoke to this publication expressed gratitude at the development, pointing out to access to clean water, nutrition and earnings. 

The local buy-in ensures that potential thieves after the solar panels, pumps and piping look at the sort of community security in place, and leave these villages alone.