By Felix Masarasa | Zimbabwe’s struggle to provide essential services like safe drinking water underscores its status as a failed state. This significant shortfall, especially in modern times, underscores the depth of the governance crisis in the country.

According to state media reports, “Half of the boreholes in Harare’s western and northern districts are contaminated with human waste, presenting a dangerous health hazard.” With an unreliable municipal water supply, these boreholes, now shown to be rife with sewer contamination and E. coli bacteria, have become risky sources of water, heightening the threat of diseases like typhoid and cholera.

The issue is compounded by the Harare City Council’s failure to meet the city’s water demand, providing only 300 megalitres against a requirement of 1,200 megalitres. This deficiency has significantly contributed to the severe cholera outbreak plaguing the city.

This governance failure is glaringly apparent in the communal lands of Chiweshe, 100km north of Harare. The village of Dambo has recently become the epicenter of a cholera outbreak, directly linked to the contaminated water and inadequate health infrastructure. Despite Chiweshe’s agricultural richness and favorable climatic conditions, the village has fallen victim to this widespread epidemic.

The villagers’ traditional and cultural practices, like large gatherings to mourn the deceased, have inadvertently facilitated the spread of cholera. In Dambo village, mourners attended a funeral without following health guidelines for cholera-related deaths, further exacerbating the situation.

The story of Ward 13 councilor Edward Mutyavaviri, who narrowly survived cholera, highlights the outbreak’s severity and the initial community disbelief. The swift intervention by the Ministry of Health and Child Care in Mazowe District and aid from the Taiwan organization Tzu Chi Zimbabwe have been critical in managing the outbreak. However, these measures are temporary solutions to a broader systemic problem.

Zimbabwe’s water sanitation and health crisis is a clear sign of a failed state, emphasizing the need for systemic political reforms, possibly through free and fair elections, to address these deep-rooted issues and guide the country towards recovery and stability.