Zimbabwe: Chitungwiza Residents Sue Council Over Sewage Crisis, Seek Court Order for Infrastructure Overhaul

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a New Zimbabwe report dated 29 July 2026, says the Chitungwiza Residents Trust and eight residents have filed a High Court application over the town’s worsening sewage problems. The applicants want an interdict requiring Chitungwiza Municipality to repair and upgrade sewer infrastructure, arguing that prolonged sewage overflows have infringed residents’ rights to health, dignity and a safe environment.

The case names Chitungwiza Municipality, the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, and the Environmental Management Agency. According to the report, the residents are asking the court to order the municipality to complete repairs and upgrades within three months, publish an emergency rehabilitation plan within one month, and have EMA monitor implementation. Jacob Rukweza, board secretary of the residents’ trust, said in court papers that the local authority has failed to meet its legal duties on sewage collection, treatment and disposal.

The application describes burst pipes, raw sewage running through roads and into homes, intermittent water supplies, and alleged contamination risks affecting areas including Ward 6 and Ward 12. It also claims untreated effluent ultimately reaches the Manyame River and alleges that some municipal workers demand informal payments before responding to sewer bursts. These are allegations contained in the court filing as reported by New Zimbabwe.

The lawsuit matters because sanitation failures can create public health risks and deepen distrust in local service delivery. The applicants, represented by Kevin Kabaya of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, seek a declaration that the municipality has breached constitutional and statutory obligations, alongside immediate remedial action.