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Zimbabweans Battle To Prevent New Cholera Outbreak
Workers trudge through foul-smelling mud in a trench seeping with clean drinking water and raw sewage in one of the Harare neighbourhoods hardest hit by last year’s cholera epidemic.
The repair work is a race against time to patch the city’s sewage system before the rainy season begins in November, when health workers fear the water-borne disease could erupt again.
The three-metre (10-foot) deep trench cuts through Usuf Austin’s driveway and runs the length of his block, forcing his family to leap across the hole to get into their house.
But he’s happy for the crew to replace the leaky pipes blamed for fueling the epidemic that killed more than 4,200 people and sickened nearly 100,000.
“The sewage was coming out day in and day out, 24 hours a day” when cholera first struck in August 2008, he said.
“This sewage water mixes with the rain water during the rainy season,” he added.
The epidemic erupted last year as post-election violence swept Zimbabwe, already crippled by a decade of economic decline blamed on controversial reforms by autocratic President Robert Mugabe.
The country’s collapsing public infrastructure added to chronically overburdened sewer systems and water shortages. This in turn gave free rein to the diarrhoeal disease, which is easily preventable with clean water and proper sewage but thrives in places without proper sanitation.
The crew on Austin’s road is one of dozens tearing up streets around the Zimbabwe capital, including much of the city centre, in a donor-funded drive to fix the worst of the sewer problems.
Raw sewage still trickles along street sides in working class neighbourhoods like this one, but the onset of rains could easily turn it into streams.
The work is gruelling under Zimbabwe’s tropical sun, as the crew use pick axes and shovels to dig the trenches by hand, without protective gloves or masks.
“We have to go to the houses to ask for gloves, even shovels,” said Titus Sibanda, 35, the crew’s foreman. “All the people on these streets, they help us.”
Zimbabwe declared an end to the cholera epidemic at the end of July, and only five cases have been reported since then, in a rural district where periodic outbreaks are common.
What distinguished last year was its epicentre in Harare, which accounted for most of the victims.
Residents of the capital had been used to reliable, clean drinking water and had never had to take cholera precautions.
But leaky pipes left raw sewage seeping into the water supply. Mounds of rubbish, accumulating by the day, have also become a common landmark on the outskirts of most poor suburbs as authorities lack fuel or spares to keep dump trucks on the road.
Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown last year left hospitals and clinics without money for basic medicines and supplies, while doctors and nurses went on strike to demand their wages.
The result was the worst cholera epidemic anywhere in the world in more than a decade.
Most of the response was led by aid agencies, who shipped in water treatment tablets and medicines, and set up emergency cholera clinics.
The UN Children’s Fund has warned that a new outbreak is “almost inevitable” when the rainy season begins in November, as an estimated six million people have little or no access to safe water and sanitation, the main driver of cholera.
“Unfortunately we do believe that cholera has become endemic within Zimbabwe,” UNICEF’s chief of health Mickey Chopra said recently.
“There’s not been enough time to repair that infrastructure, so we are preparing for a cholera outbreak in the rainy season.”
But Health Minister Henry Madzorera said Zimbabwe is better prepared this year. Doctors and nurses are back on the job, so clinics are running again. Education campaigns have highlighted the importance of boiling water, washing hands and other prevention measures.
“You’ll notice in Harare there is a lot of excavation happening. The water supply is going to improve,” he told AFP.
“We encourage people to take hygiene measures,” he said. “But the rainy season is coming, we may have a few problems.”
All the pipes that need replacing will never be fixed before the rains, the crew foreman in Highfields said it’s important for the public to see efforts are being made.
“People need to see things working day to day,” Sibanda said. “Harare is going to come back.”
The Hausa Community in Rivers State has dissociated itself from media reports credited to one MaiwadaAdamu that the Arewa Community in Rivers State has appointed Alhaji Musa Saidu as the acting SarkinHausawa, PortHarcourt, following the inability of the former SarkinHausawa, Alhaji Isa Madaki to carry out his functions.
MaidawaAdamu, who is also the spokesman of the Arewa Initiative for Peaceful Co-existence, had briefed journalists on the change, but in a swift reaction, the Office of Alhaji Isa Madaki, has come out to say that the only recognised body which has the powers to appoint the SarkinHausawa, PortHarcourt is the Council of SarkinHausawa in PortHarcourt headed by Alhaji Isa Madaki.
The statement also said Alhaji Hussani Isa Madaki is the only recognisedSarkinHausawa, Port Harcourt, adding that his appointment follows the proclamation and endorsement by the council members of SarkinHausawa, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The statement further called on the general public and all authorities concerned to give Alhaji Hussani Isa Madaki maximum co-operation and support,as he discharges his duties as SarkinHausawa, Port Harcourt.
The Suspended Rivers State Commissioner for health, Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh, has described as baseless allegations in some quarters that she was responsible for the purported disruption of the Nigerian First Lady’s empowerment program in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh, who said this in a statement personally signed by her and a copy made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt also described the allegation as a product of the sick imagination of rumour mongers
According to Dr Oreh, “they are nothing more than a feeble and mischievous attempt to tarnish my reputation and sow discord”
In her words,”the allegations levelled against me, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, regarding the supposed disruption of the First Lady’s empowerment programme on Friday 2nd May, 2025, are entirely unfounded, completely false, and a product of the sick imagination of rumour mongers and conflict entrepreneurs.
“They are nothing more than a feeble and mischievous attempt to tarnish my reputation and sow discord.”
The suspended commissioner challenged those behind the allegation, especially the Concerned Rivers Youth Organisation to show proof of its assertion adding “It is essential to base criticisms on facts rather than speculation or puerile political agendas.
“I challenge the “Concerned Rivers Youth Organisation” (assuming such a body really exists) to provide tangible proof to support their assertions.
“It is essential to base criticisms on facts rather than speculation or puerile political agendas.
“I have neither sponsored nor will sponsor any activities aimed at embarrassing or disrupting the activities of the administration appointed by His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to oversee the affairs of Rivers State following his declaration of a state of emergency on Tuesday, 18th March, 2025, and have rather spent the time of my suspension from office focused on other endeavours and my doctoral studies.
“I reaffirm my commitment to working tirelessly for the progress and development of Rivers State.
“Furthermore, I believe that it is crucial for all stakeholders to promote a culture of truth, integrity, and respect in public discourse.
“Unsubstantiated wild claims undermine trust and hinder constructive engagement, and this is not what the state needs at this difficult and delicate time.
“I urge everyone to focus on issues that unite us and foster a positive, solution-driven dialogue for the betterment of our State, and urge everyone to work together to build a brighter future for Rivers State, grounded in truth, transparency, and collective effort,”she said.
By: John Bibor
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has called on key regulators, asset owners and other stakeholders to continue to support the agency toward the goal of remediating the Ogoni environment and restoring the livelihoods of the people and building structures for peace.
The Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who made the call during the Project’s first quarter meeting with regulators, asset owners and stakeholders in Port Harcourt, urged the stakeholders to remain resolute in supporting HYPREP’s work.
“We particularly expect each regulatory agency and asset owner to deepen their involvement and continue to provide strategic support to the project”, he said, stressing that the quarterly meeting platform remains instrumental in providing a structural avenue for regulators, asset owners, and implementation partners to offer feedback to HYPREP on project performance and deliberate on ideas that move the project forward, as well as strengthen collaboration, deepen synergy and reinforce collective responsibility.
Zabbey disclosed that the socio-economic study of Ogoni has started, as HYPREP has contacted the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organisation(WHO) to commence in the next quarter a three-year human health biomonitoring in Ogoniland.
He noted that work on several fronts of the cleanup project is progressing steadily, adding that as key project partners, the insights and shared experience of the regulators and asset owners have always enriched HYPREP’s operations.
He said the policy thrust of HYPREP for 2025 is clear, as the Project is intensifying efforts to complete within stated timelines, the various ongoing projects, including remediation works and mangrove restoration, potable water facilities, the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, the Ogoni Power Project, Ogoni Specialist Hospital, and Buan Cottage Hospital, among others.
Zabbey, however, announced that HYPREP would commence new set of shoreline cleanup, mangrove restoration and livelihood projects, to sustain the momentum of implementing the Ogoni cleanup, adding that the agency would also conduct detailed site characterisation of the high-risk complex sites, leading to remediation works at the sites.
He noted that HYPREP’s collaboration with Rivers State Ministries of Health, Power and Environment, and civil society organisations remains vital, stressing that the technical and administrative support of all relevant government agencies and funding partners is indispensable in helping HYPREP overcome operational bottlenecks, especially those encountered in interfacing with host communities.
He further indicated that “the people of Ogoni and the nation are looking to us with hope and expectation, and expect tangible results from the remediation initiative”, assuring the participants that the Project Coordination Office is committed to delivering positive results.
“We must, therefore, continue to work with diligence, transparency, and a renewed sense of purpose”, he declared, saying, “ the completion and commissioning of projects this year must reflect not only our technical ability but also our collective commitment to environmental sustainability and sustainable development in Ogoni.”
During the interactive session, the Project Coordinator briefed the participants on the progress made so far by HYPREP to conclude the distribution of starter packs to the 5,000 Ogoni trainees, and called on contractors who had already collected huge chunk of money for the project, to deliver without further delay.
In all, the regulators, asset owners and stakeholders commended HYPREP for the good works it is doing, and urged it to do more.
The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency(NOSDRA) was represented at the event by Deputy Director, Oil Field Assessment, Dr Abam Komommo Omini, while Dr Vincent Nwachukwu, Director of Medical Services, represented the Rivers State Ministry of Health.
The Rivers State Ministries of Water Resources, Power and Environment were represented by Dr Bealo Brownson; Engr K. J. Osele; and Mr James Ordu respectively, while the Society for Women and Youth Affairs (SWAYA); and the Stakeholder Democracy Network(SDN); among other civil society organisations were also at the event.
By: Donatus Ebi