At a time when Harare residents are struggling with high living costs, erratic water supplies, and poor service delivery, the opposition-led Harare City Council (HCC) has once again shown its disregard for the suffering of ordinary citizens.
The council’s proposal to increase water tariffs to US$2 per 1 000 litres in high-density suburbs and US$4.90 per 1 000 litres in low-density areas has been met with outrage from residents and civic groups, who describe the move as heartless, unjustified, and exploitative.
The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) condemned the proposed hike, accusing the council of commercialising a basic human right and ignoring the voices of residents during consultations. CHRA director Mr Reuben Akili said the new tariffs were far above the actual cost of producing water, which he estimated at just US$0.70 per 1 000 litres.
“The sharp increase in water tariffs is unacceptable. It shows that there is something amiss in how the local authority engages residents. It’s neither fair nor transparent,” he said.
For years, residents have endured dry taps, burst sewer pipes, and heaps of uncollected garbage, yet the city fathers continue to demand more money while delivering less.
Instead of improving water supply or maintaining infrastructure, the council has become notorious for extravagance, purchasing luxury vehicles, holding endless foreign trips, and awarding hefty allowances to senior officials.
Many residents question why they should pay more for a service that barely exists. In most high-density suburbs, water flows once or twice a week, forcing residents to rely on boreholes and unsafe wells. Ironically, the same officials pushing for higher tariffs enjoy uninterrupted water supplies in their leafy suburbs and offices.
Observers say the opposition-led council’s priorities are misplaced. Rather than addressing chronic inefficiencies, corruption, and mismanagement, it seeks to squeeze struggling ratepayers to fund its lavish lifestyles. The move has exposed a leadership that is out of touch with the people it claims to represent.
As economic pressures mount, Harare’s residents have had enough. They are calling on the Government to intervene, audit the city’s finances, and protect citizens from a council that has clearly lost its moral compass. In the words of one resident, “We are being made to pay for the council’s failure.”
