Mbare residents grapple with severe sewage crisis

Residents of Mbare, one of Harare’s oldest suburbs, are facing a severe sanitation crisis as ageing infrastructure continues to deteriorate, causing widespread sewage leaks across the area.

Many streets in the suburb have been flooded with raw sewage, leaving residents with limited options for basic hygiene.

Toilets in several residential complexes, including Matapi Flats, Shawasha Flats, Matererini Flats, Magaba Flats, and Mbare Flats, have been blocked for the past three months.

People are reportedly forced to defecate in buckets, which are later emptied into unusable toilets.

The situation has been exacerbated by a strike by council staff that began last week, leaving essential sanitation services at a standstill.

Community health workers who voluntarily maintained public toilets during the COVID-19 pandemic say they no longer have the chemicals or protective equipment needed to keep the facilities clean.

Local councillors have been notified about the crisis but, so far, no action has been taken. Residents have urged authorities to visit streets like Peter Start, where Stodart Hall is located, to witness the dire situation firsthand.

Some residents have appealed directly to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, accusing local officials of ignoring the escalating sewage problem.