Govt backs Muda Dam project

GOVERNMENT has thrown its weight behind the construction of Muda Dam that is set to end Chitungwiza town’s perennial water woes.

The dam, which is estimated to cost $285 million, will solve perennial water problems in the town.

In an interview, Chitungwiza Town Clerk Dr George Makunde said the munucipality recently held a meeting with different Government ministries who gave a nod for the resuscitation of the Muda Dam plan.

The meeting, he said, was attended by the ministries of Water; Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Finance and Economic Development; the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) and Sesani Projects, a leading construction company.

“We had a meeting with different Government arms who gave their total support for our Muda Dam project, which will change the state of our town forever,” he said.

Dr Makunde said Government was now only waiting for the construction and civil engineering company Sesani, which will build the dam, to submit the feasibility studies for the dam.

“Right now, the Sesani team is working on the feasibility studies of the Muda Dam construction because we had not provided that information, but they are almost done,” he said.

“Once it is done, we will make a compact submission to all the three ministries in order for us to get Cabinet approval.”

The proposed dam is situated in Mahusekwa, approximately 40 kilometres south of Chitungwiza.

It is expected to provide clean raw water, which will be purified at Prince Edward Water Works to avoid the expense of building a new plant.

Dr Makunde said the plan was to supply Harare’s southern districts with water to reduce the debt it owes Harare City Council.

“To reduce our debt we intend to supply the southern districts with water,” he said. “For Chitungwiza residents, the cost of water will be affordable because the water from Muda will be clean and will require less purification.”

At least 52 local investors and seven foreign investors that attended the just ended water summit had shown interest in supporting the Muda Dam project in various capacities. It is estimated to cost $285 million.

Harare City Council is failing to meet water demand for its own residents let alone those of satellite towns like Chitungwiza, Norton and Ruwa, which also rely on it for their water supplies.