29 September 2025: Residents Associations from across Zimbabwe have openly denounced the government’s water privatization directive, instead calling for devolved public water ownership and management. This came out in an Annual Residents Summit that was held in Bulawayo from 25 to 26 September 2025 under the theme “Re-thinking WASH Sector Financing in the Context of Devolution”. The Summit which was convened by Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BUPRA) and Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) was attended by residents associations from Bulawayo, Umzingwane, Gwanda, Masvingo, Mutare, Gweru, Chiredzi, Harare, Victoria Falls, Hwange, Chitungwidza, Wedza, Tsholotsho, Nkayi, Chinhoyi, Marondera and Maphisa.
Critically, the Residents Summit recognized the urgent need to come up with alternative and innovative WASH financing mechanisms in order to promote the realization of the right to clean, safe and potable water for all in the country. However, they lamented the privatization drive noting that among many of its flaws:
- It is globally proven to be a failed water financing mechanism that works ultra-vice the human rights principles;
- It exposes women, youths, children, the elderly, people with disabilities and the poor to excess vulnerability to extortion, sextortion, unsafe water sources and deepening poverty;
- In Zimbabwe, specifically, the water water privatization is unconstitutional as it is a centralized directive that does not conform to the devolution of power detects of the Constitution and there is no legal and administrative framework to manage, monitor and regulate water privatization in the country;
- The rationale for water privatization is unjustified as local authorities have not failed their mandate but have been made to fail by the macro-economic conditions and national ministerial directives.
Voices for Water is committed to amplifying citizen voice and agency for just water services and policies. V4W is also committed to campaigning against water privatization due to its dire human rights consequences.