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Admore Mbonda in Kariba
The Kariba Incorporated Residents Ratepayers Association (KIARRA) has called for the temporary shutdown of Nyamhunga High School which has gone for more than two years without water, to avert disease outbreak.

KIARRA has also called on council to move in to address the situation and alleviate the plight of teachers and students at the school who have to bring water from home.

Kariba council denied responsibility for the situation at the school, saying they upgraded the pipes to the school meter and it was up to the school to address the situation.

KIARRA chairman Mr Samu Mawawo said something drastic like temporarily closing the school was necessary.

“As the residents of Kariba, we are alarmed by the continued water crisis at Nyamhunga secondary school which needs addressing. This is not the time to apportion blame on anyone, but the situation is bad. It needs urgent attention,” said Mr Mawawo.

“Some of the issues come down to prioritisation on the part of the school authorities because how can we have a situation where the school has no water but has a CCTV system installed recently.”

The school recently installed a CCTV system to ostensibly help in monitoring the activities of teachers, students and general security.

Contacted for comment, acting town clerk Mr Saratiere Chitenhe said it was up to the school to boost supplies after they upgraded water pipes to the school meter.

“Council upgraded the water pipeline up to the school meter and the school authorities were advised to upgrade the water infrastructure at the school, but the headmaster said she needed time to engage parents on the costs,” he said.

School head Mrs Juliet Tizirai confirmed the dire water situation at the school, but refuted claims that the situation had persisted for more than five years.

“Yes, it is true the water situation at the school has been bad, but not for more than five years as some people claim,” she said. “The problem started last year and we have since written a letter to Kariba Municipality town clerk Richard Kamhoti over this issue.”

Mrs Tizirai denied that teachers or students were bringing containers of water from home, claiming that some teachers were spreading malicious information about the situation at the school.

“I know some of my teachers are the ones who bring such information to you because they hate me,” she said.

Water is reportedly available for less than two hours around midnight when everyone has gone home, leaving the school without adequate water in its reservoirs for usage during the day.

The only borehole that could ameliorate the situation broke down some time back, forcing students and teachers to take containers of water to use in the toilet.

This has raised fears of outbreak of diseases.