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George Maponga in MASVINGO
Government owes Salini Impregilio, the Italian contractor building Tokwe-Mukosi Dam in Chivi, over $80 million amid indications arrangements are being made to settle the arrears.
Construction of the dam, set to become Zimbabwe’s largest inland water body, is being wholly funded by the Government of Zimbabwe.
Salini Impregilio has been working round the clock to fortify the dam structure in the wake of heavy rains that pounded southern parts of Masvingo in February this year caused flooding which forced an evacuation of communities living in the Tokwe-Mukosi basin.
The contractor entered an agreement with Government for the release of $13, 5 million to complete strengthening of the wall ahead of the rainy season.
Environment, Water and Climate Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, recently said Government was working flat out to settle its arrears with Salini Impregilio.
“We will be talking to the contractor soon and agree on how we can pay up our arrears to them. Obviously we have to agree on some payment arrangement. We are very happy with progress in building of the dam,’’ he said.
Minister Kasukuwere said work on installing face slabs to stop water from seeping through the dam was now almost complete.
“In about three weeks all the 42 face slabs will be in place, they have built 38 so far and once the remaining four are in place we will be done,’’ he said.
Salini Impregilio agreed with Government to prioritise building of face slabs on the upstream side of the dam wall as a way of avoiding a repeat to the damage caused on the wall in February this year after flood water seeped through.
Zinwa officials at Tokwe-Mukosi, who are supervising construction of the dam, estimate that all the outstanding work, including minor touch ups, will be completed by June next year.
Tokwe-Mukosi Dam is being built at a cost of $155 million and will have a capacity of 1,8 billion cubic metres of water when full.
The dam will irrigate more than 25 000 hectares and is expected to increase sugar output in the Lowveld by about 15 percent while making arid parts of southern Masvingo a perennial greenbelt.
Construction of the dam started in 1998 and was due for completion in 2002 but funding challenges caused Salini Impregilio to suspend construction and only resumed work in 2011 after Government made an undertaking to make regular payments.
Online Reporter