KHAMI Prison in Bulawayo is reported to have gone for three weeks without water, amid fears of a possible disease outbreak if the problem is not addressed.
Former Bulawayo Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) senator Gideon Shoko on Sunday told Southern Eye that he discovered the crisis after visiting CCC ward 22 councillor Mmeli Bruce Moyo, who is in remand prison after being arrested for allegedly holding a demonstration in solidarity with the 79 Harare activists who were arrested at former minister Jameson Timba’s home in June.
“I was at Khami Prison yesterday (Saturday) and I was not impressed. There is no water, there is likely to have a cholera outbreak,” Shoko said.
“I have advised the councillors to raise the matter in council and I also informed one of the legislators to raise the concern in Parliament.”
The prison gets its water supply from Bulawayo City Council, with water levels at the city’s supply dams gravely low.
Shoko said some prison officers revealed to him that the facility had gone for three weeks without water.
Ward 17 councillor Sikhululekile Moyo said the water crisis at Khami Prison could be a result of a burst pipe.
“I believe that if it’s at Khami Prison, (it’s) the main pipe burst which affected many places. We have since notified residents,” she said.
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Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Bulawayo spokesperson Garainashe Moyo said he was on leave and referred Southern Eye to national spokesperson Superintendent Meya Khanyezi, who refused to comment on the matter saying she was out of office.
