Challenge Zimbabwe’s Water Privatization Directive

The Issue

In January 2025, the Zimbabwean government, through the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, made a shocking announcement mandating the full privatization of water services in all urban areas. This directive has been issued without any consultation with citizens or local authorities; and bypassing public procurement regulations by utilizing the ‘unsolicited bids’ system. This lack of transparency and absence of accountability undermines the very Constitutional provisions that protect our rights as citizens.

This move is deeply alarming considering the precarious water situation in Zimbabwe. Our country already grapples with erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and climate variability. Water is not just a commodity – it is an essential resource for our survival and our climate resilience and placing it entirely in the hands of private enterprises could be disastrous for millions. The current free public access to water must be preserved and improved upon.

There is neither enabling legislation nor empirical evidence to support this sweeping policy change. This directive to shift water decision-making and investments away from public agencies will leave millions of low-income residents extremely vulnerable, unserved, and less resilient. This threatens to cripple communities that are already on the brink, making access to safe and affordable water even harder for the most disadvantaged among us. There

We demand:
1. The Zimbabwean government halts the privatization process immediately;

2. Government initiates an open, inclusive consultations with all stakeholders, especially the affected urban communities on how public water management must be enhanced.

CALL TO ACTION: Sign this petition to stop this arbitrary water privatization and protect the fundamental rights of Zimbabwe’s residents to access safe, secure, and publicly managed water.

Together, let’s stand up and make our voices for water be heard!

Source: Change