Govt to mobilise funds at water summit

Zimbabwe is struggling to supply clean and safe water to its citizens mainly due to technical and financial constraints over the years. The country experienced its worst cholera outbreak, blamed on lack of clean water, in 2008/9 which killed over 4 000 people countrywide. The water summit will run from April 23-27. Water Resources Development and

Management Minister Sipepa Nkomo said a number of potential investors were expected to attend the summit.
“The Water Summit is a private initiative by a South African company called M&N Capital based in Johannesburg and has been endorsed by the government,” Nkomo said.
“Zimbabwe will be represented at Government level at the summit.”

Sipepa said government will articulate its vision, and the challenges it has faced in developing the water sector.
“The summit will help identify priorities and mechanisms for more effective water resource integration and will focus on rural and urban water supply as well as hygiene and sanitation,” he said.

“The Government is in need of funding to help with water supply and this is why we are hoping that the Water Summit will be a good platform to lure investors in the water sector,” he said.
Some suburbs in Harare have gone for months without water, prompting increasing calls for government to come up with robust measures to expand existing water infrastructure to match the growing urban population. Government has a number of projects such as Kunzvi Dam, Musami Dam, Mtshabezi Pipeline and Zambezi Water Project which, if undertaken, would go a long way in addressing water problems in the country. — New Ziana.