Ubumbano Voice
By Lloyd Sesemani
The current state of Mutasa Rural District Council public toilets is worrisome. Mutasa RDC has got 31 administrative wards and in these wards, there are only 3 wards with public toilets. Hauna Business Center in Honde valley is over subscribed especially during holidays and the current bus terminus public toilet failed to copy with number of patrons who wanted to use the facility. The facility is not well maintained and oversubscribed at the same time; long queues have become the order of the day. As some of the people will be hard pressed to relieve themselves, they lose patience and resort to using undesignated places posing health hazards.
Lack of public toilet facilities in Mutasa district is a cause for concern in all wards especially at business centers. One of the areas to note is Murara business center where the place is flooded with banana vendors and there is no ablution facilities for the center. “The place is getting worse and worse, there is no proper hygiene at this place, our RDC has neglected us for years. There is no garbage collection done and also, we do not have public toilets. It is sad that we resort to use business people’s toilets and sometimes their toilets are closed and we are left with no option but to use bush toilet which poses health hazards to us and the environment, ” said Mr Mudowaya a renowned banana vendor.
Another area to note in Mutasa which has become a hive of activity is Penhalonga. Due to the mushrooming of artisanal mining in the area there is an outcry of public toilets. There is an abandoned public toilet by MRDC which is non functional at Penhalonga business center and residents are calling for the rehabilitation of the facility with immediate effect.
Residents Trust Chairman Mr Westone Makoni said, “Tsvingwe toilet is over subscribed and residents are using public toilets as an alternative source to ease themselves. As a Residents Trust we are advocating for all public facilities including bus terminus to have the requisite amenities such as toilets.” The lack of access to public toilets poses heathy risks to the general public since poor sanitation leads to the spread of waterborne diseases and contamination of drinking water sources.
