Source: MZWP funds diverted to Tokwe-Mukorsi Dam – DailyNews Live
STAFF WRITER 8 February 2017
HARARE – Government’s plan to build a pipeline from the Zambezi River to
ease water shortages in Matabeleland was put off to complete work on the
Tokwe-Mukorsi Dam.
The Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project (MZWP) is an ambitious project that
seeks to end the perennial water shortages bedevilling Zimbabwe’s second
city of Bulawayo by bringing water from the mighty Zambezi river to the
city.
Responding to Pumula MDC MP Godfrey Malaba’s concerns on lethargy on the
project, Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa said they had started work on
the proposed MZWP but put it on hold after the 2014 partial collapse of
the Tokwe-Mukorsi Dam wall resulted in flooding.
Tokwe-Mukorsi Dam is a just finished concrete-face rockfill dam on the
Tokwe River, just downstream of its confluence with the Mukorsi River,
about 72 kilometres south of Masvingo.
“It (MZWP) was disrupted because of the threat,” Chinamasa claimed.
“We had already pumped $35 million into Gwayi-Shangani, and a tender was
awarded and work was done.
“However, when there was a threat on the Tokwe-Mukorsi Dam, we diverted
those resources to finish the Tokwe-Mukorsi.
“We are now going to be more focused on it so that it is finished. I have
been to the site and some work was done,” Chinamasa said.
Malaba had asked: “What is happening to the Zambezi water projects? So
much work has been put on this and it was going to create some greenbelt
from Hwange to Matabeleland.
“The people of Matabeleland are saying, `up to when are we going to
continue suffering because we should benefit after these waters have been
brought from the Zambezi waterways. We are suffering.’
“The people of Bulawayo are mourning, grieving, crying and they are
saying, please put into fruition and implement the Zambezi water project.”
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