Zimbabwean citizens have taken a government department to court for failing to provide them with adequate and safe drinking water, as the country's cholera-related death toll nears 400, reports said Saturday.

A group from Chitungwiza, a town outside Harare, filed an application in the High Court on Friday suing the government-run Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) which is responsible for supplying water in the beleaguered nation.

"Due to their lack of diligence and constant supplies of clean water to my place of residence, diseases like cholera surfaced and people are dying," Arthur Taderera, the chairman of the Chitungwiza Residents and Rate Payers Association charged in his affidavit.

His affidavit described "large pools of raw sewerage" in the streets, and private citizens could do nothing because Zinway had exclusive jurisdiction and control over all water resources.

"It is an offence for me to fix the sewer system on my own because that is the prerogative of the respondent," Taderera said, referring to Zinwa.

Zimbabwe is experiencing its worst humanitarian crisis since attaining independence from Britain 28 years ago. Cholera has been raging on since its outbreak in September in Chitungwiza — about 30 kilometres south-east of Harare.

The water borne-disease has so far claimed nearly 400 lives and has since spread to South Africa. Nearly a decade of economic meltdown has made it impossible for Harare to import adequate chemicals to treat water. As a result many citizens have resorted to shallow wells and rivers to obtain drinking water.

Meanwhile the United Nations says about half the population is in urgent need of food aid. Unemployment is estimated at 90 per cent and official inflation at 231 million percent — the highest in the world.

The health and economic problems plaguing the country come as a power-sharing deal between President Robert Mugabe and opposition signed in September has failed to take off.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has refused to form the government of national unity accusing Mugabe of grabbing all the key ministries such as foreign affairs, local government, finance, home affairs and defence.

The government of national unity was seen by many as the only way for Zimbabwe to try to battle its way out of its economic quagmire.

Sapa