PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has just ordered Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo to direct the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) to hand over water management rights to the new Victoria Falls City.

This puts to rest a long-standing battle for control of water supply between the water authority and Victoria Falls council over management of water.

Victoria Falls City has been blaming the perennial water challenges in the resort town to lack of capacity by Zinwa whose equipment reportedly constantly breaks down at the pump station.

The council a few years ago applied to the Government seeking to be allowed to run its own water management and a commission was sent to assess the town’s capacity.

Officiating at the conferment of the city status to Victoria Falls this morning, President Mnangagwa said Minister Moyo should start a process of making sure that the council takes over water rights from Zinwa as water is critical to development of the new city hence it should manage and control its own supply.