Editorial Comment: Do one thing at a time, do it well

The uncertainty hanging over the extension of the Kariba South Power Station because of Government’s failure to raise about US$35,5 million is bad news for the nation. The upgrade seeks to increase the power station’s output by 300MW which will make a difference to the homes, factories, hospitals, schools and farms around the country that currently go without power sometimes for long stretches. The terrible thing is not just the infinite delays on this project at a time when there is desperate need for more power generation capacity.

It is futile to talk about raising industrial capacity utilisation when there isn’t enough electric power.
The country needs sustainable renewable energy at affordable rates not only to improve the quality of life of citizens and visitors, but also to conserve our forests from degradation caused by the uncontrolled cutting down of trees for firewood.

The worst part is that Kariba Power Station appears to be the latest addition to a series of well-intentioned national projects that just never seem to happen, at least as soon as they are mooted.

There are plans like Kunzvi Dam, the Matabeleland-Zambezi Water Project, the dualisation of the Harare-Beitbridge highway, the Harare-Chitungwiza railway and several other ideas that were tabled and approved several years ago. But right now they are either works in very slow progress or still mere visions. The picture that is emerging is one whereby the Government is spreading scarce resources thinly over too many projects and ends up completing none.

It is time for the State to honestly admit what can be accomplished at a given time and concentrate all energies on bringing one project to fruition at a time.

We don’t have enough resources, but setting realistic targets can make a difference between politicking and having a vision.
The stop-start approach to development is counterproductive as costs soar while activities are sometimes overtaken by events.
And it also appears that due diligence and proper planning are not always exercised.

One glaring example is the construction of toll booths which saw money being spent on structures that were later condemned before they could pay back for the construction costs.

The same approach seems to be at play in the expansion of Kariba Power Station.
Although work should have commenced last month, ZPC senior project manager Engineer Wellington Maphosa has indicated that the design layout for the project has not yet been approved because Sino Hydro of China has not yet provided all the information.

We are then left to wonder how ZPC can then ensure quality control if they do not have such basic information.
And equally pertinent, how did they reach the cost figure of US$355 million if some of that key information is missing?

These grey areas are what open public enterprises to abuse and looting when they leave loopholes which can be exploited by opportunists. There is need for systemic development which sees all infrastructure development being treated as national concerns even if they fall under the purview of specific ministries for the sake of administration and accountability.

That way treasury would allocate resources to one project instead of trying to spread whatever is there to all ministries which then end up with too little and achieve nothing.

Of course, there will be outcries and dissention from all regions whose projects appear to be neglected.
Let’s cut our garment according to the size of our cloth: one project at a time, complete it and move on to the next one.