THE UNITED STATES Embassy says it is not in a position to assist Bulawayo programmes meant to mitigate effects of the water crisis the city is facing.
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Responding to a question at the Bulawayo Press Club on Tuesday, the United States ambassador Bruce Wharton said an intervention to assist council deal with the city’s water problem was not part of their programme.
“The US has focused more on human capacity development and human response in our global aid,” he said.
“We have moved away from the big infrastructure projects that we used to do in the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
“So I don’t think the US will be able to come and provide the sort of infrastructure support that you are talking about.”
Wharton said there were other “international partners” interested in assisting in city’s water infrastructural development programmes.
“I think Bulawayo will have to look to other partners for the sort of infrastructural requirements that it has,” he said.
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However, the diplomat said there were private sector players in his country with “huge interest” in setting up energy and water systems in Africa. That was an avenue the city could explore.
Bulawayo is facing a water shortage problem that has forced the city to adopt a 96-hour water shedding regime per week to conserve dwindling supplies.
