Multi-million dollar water summit slated for Harare

via Multi-million dollar water summit slated for Harare – NewsDay Zimbabwe June 2, 2015 by Xolisani Ncube

GOVERNMENT is planning to launch a multi-million-dollar water fundraising summit in Harare this month to enable construction of the long-awaited Kunzvi Dam, believed to be the panacea to the capital’s water crisis.

Environment, Water and Climate Change minister Saviour Kasukuwere told a media briefing in Harare yesterday that Kunzvi and Musami dams would be prioritised as they had been on the drawing board for over three decades.

“Over the years due to funding challenges through the PSIP (private sector investment partnership) new water investment projects have failed to take off completely while those with work in progress would take far much more time than expected to complete,” Kasukuwere said.

He said the two dams required about $865 million.

Another key water project that will benefit from the summit is the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project, which is set to solve Bulawayo’s perennial water woes.

“This project requires $1,4 billion,” Kasukuwere said adding that other dams on the agenda include Chitungwiza’s Muda-Nyatsime Dam ($231 million), Chisumbanje’s Kondo Dam ($480m), Mutoko’s Nyatana Dam ($350m), and Kadoma’s Kudu Dam ($350m).

“Therefore, our starting point towards exploring growth in the water sector is the upcoming water infrastructure conference between June 24 and 26. I am therefore inviting interested parties with appetite for investing in this long-term water infrastructure-related sector to register for participation through the ministry, Zinwa or Utho Capital, who are the event managers,” Kasukuwere said.