adminMidlands Bureau
IRRIGATION schemes in Vungu District have collapsed save for one following the vandalism and theft of key infrastructure, council acting Chief Executive Officer, Edwin Mashindi has said. Vungu has eight irrigation schemes which in the past were the major source of horticulture products to the city of Gweru and partly Kwekwe.
Mashindi said the local authority needs in excess of $800,000 to resuscitate its irrigation schemes.
He said traditional sponsors like the European Union and the Japanese Embassy have withdrawn for undisclosed reasons.
“There is no irrigation scheme operating in Vungu for now. The few that are operating are doing so at less than 10 percent capacity utilisation. Maguta Operations tried to come on board in a bid to resuscitate them but nothing came out. They (the Maguta team) are now out of the picture. Of the eight schemes in the district only Insukamini is operational,” said Mashindi.
He said six of the irrigation schemes need close to $300,000 for them to be functional while the totally collapsed Shagari needs $500,000.
The 100-hectare Mambanjeni is also heavily polluted with raw sewage discharged into Gweru River by Gweru City Council, according to Mashindi. He said Mkoba in Lower Gweru, Maboza and Muturahuku in Chiundura were also vandalised.
Said Mashindi: “Shagari Irrigation scheme is completely dead. The dam wall collapsed some years ago following floods that hit the area and reconstructing the dam will need $500,000. Mbembesanwa has the potential to offer bigger hectarage but it’s facing infrastructure challenges as well. People vandalised pipes and water pump engines, among other things.”
Online Reporter