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Prosper Ndlovu , Senior Reporter
MDC-T is reportedly seeking to use the Mtshabezi Dam pipeline project to drum up support for its leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai and its embattled National Assembly candidate for nearby Umzingwane constituency, Ms Nomalanga Khumalo. Ms Khumalo, the former Deputy Speaker of Parliament, who defected from the Professor Welshman Ncube-led MDC, was reportedly imposed by MDC-T senior leadership to be the party’s candidate for the 31 July elections despite spirited resistance from local structures.
She did not even go through primary elections.
According to officials from the Ministry of Water Resources Development and Management, electricity connection to Mtshabezi Dam has been completed and is set for official commissioning by Mr Tsvangirai sometime this week.
Water Resources Development and Management Minister, Dr Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, is a senior MDC-T member and National Assembly candidate for Bulawayo’s Lobengula constituency.
“Electricity connection to the project has finally been completed. The engineers conducted an inspection of the project on Friday,” said the official who preferred anonymity.
“It is up to Dr Sipepa Nkomo to make the official announcement but we understand Mr Tsvangirai would officially commission the project on Friday.”
Observers have said although the dam project was viewed as the short term solution to Bulawayo’s perennial water problems, MDC-T want to use it to gain political mileage and cover up for its shortcomings.
A former district administrator for Umzingwane and Zanu-PF National Assembly candidate for the constituency, Cde William Dhewa said the dam project was initiated by Zanu-PF and accused MDC-T of seeking to reap where it did not sow.
“We understand Mr Tsvangirai is coming here. When that dam was constructed in the 1990s I was the district administrator for Umzingwane.
“I am aware of the ideas behind the project. It was meant to augment Bulawayo and Gwanda water reserves and provide water for an irrigation project in Mtshazo area,” said Cde Dhewa.
“Several pieces of land were identified for irrigation projects along the pipeline. The dam was not for Bulawayo alone. Gwanda Municipality, Umzingwane and Gwanda Rural District Councils are stakeholders to the project.”
Cde Dhewa said it was interesting that MDC-T, which has not done anything for Umzingwane, wants to claim credit over a project whose origins it did not know.
“That is a Zanu-PF project, which was initiated by Vice President Joice Mujuru, who was the Minister of Water at that time. The pipeline project was initially meant to be completed in 1998 but delayed because of lack of funding.
“The MDC-T cannot therefore claim any credit over that project. Even the sponsorship of the pipeline was made possible by the Zanu-PF’s Look East policy. Surely what does Mr Tsvangirai have to do with that project,” he said.
Bulawayo residents have also queried the sincerity of MDC-T leaders with regards to the timing of the commissioning of the project.
“We are yet to be informed of the official commissioning of the project but we wonder why they want to do it now when the city has been facing water shortages for this entire long. Is it because we are in an election time?” said Mr Winos Dube, the chairman of Bulawayo United Residents Association.
The laying of the 41km pipeline from Mtshabezi Dam to Umzingwane Dam was completed early this year but the city could not draw water from the dam in full throttle due to lack of electricity.
Engineers resorted to using generators which did not have the capacity to power the pumps continuously.
Dr Sipepa Nkomo could not be reached for comment as he was said to be attending a meeting while MDC-T Matabeleland South provincial chairman Mr Watchy Sibanda declined to comment on the issue, saying he was on party business in Mashonaland.
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