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NewsDay

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Chihuri, Mutambara in court over water arrears

News
Zinwa has taken Augustine Chihuri and ZimPF leader Agrippah Mutambara to court over unpaid water bills totalling $60 00

THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has taken former Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri and Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) leader Agrippah Mutambara to court over unpaid water bills totalling $60 000.

BY CHARLES LAITON

According to summons filed separately at the High Court on June 29, Zinwa is owed by the two former government officials.

In its declaration in terms of Chihuri’s $44 894 debt, Zinwa did not specify the period covered for the unpaid water bill, but said it entered into an agreement to deliver water for domestic and or commercial use at Chihuri’s Inyika Farm in Shamva.

“In terms of this agreement, Zinwa and the defendant (Chihuri) agreed on a specific water allocation to be paid as a whole, the defendant was to pay the sums of $44 894 on a monthly basis. The defendant is in breach of the agreement by failing to pay the monthly charges. The defendant has no right to refuse to make full payment,” Zinwa said.

“The defendant’s breach has unnecessarily caused the plaintiff (Zinwa) to incur legal costs to recover the amount owing. The defendant must, therefore, pay the plaintiff costs of suit on an attorney and client scale.”

In respect of Mutambara’s $15 497 debt, Zinwa said in terms of the parties’ agreement, it agreed with the ZimPF leader, on a specific water allocation to be paid as a whole for water consumed at his Sangere Farm in Bindura.

“The defendant (Mutambara) was to pay the sums due on a monthly basis … the cumulative amount due to the plaintiff by the defendant for water charges is the sum of $15 497, which amount is due and payable,” Zinwa said.

“The defendant’s breach has unnecessarily caused the plaintiff to incur legal costs to recover the amount owing. The defendant must, therefore, pay the plaintiff costs of suit on an attorney and client scale.”

Chihuri and Mutambara have not yet responded to the litigation.

MATTER OF FACT

IN our Tuesday, July 3, 2018 issue of NewsDay, we published a story titled ‘Chihuri, Mutambara in court over water arrears’, we erroneously referred to former Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara as owing $15 497 debt to the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) in unpaid water rates. It has come to our attention that Professor Arthur Mutambara does not owe Zinwa nor does he own Sangere Farm in Bindura. Correct facts are that the farm belongs to opposition ZimPF leader Agrippah Mutambara who has since been taken to court over the water arrears. We sincerely apologise for the error.

-Editor