New board for Zinwa

Mhanga.

Other board members are Engineer Ian Mutunzi (deputy director engineering services Bulawayo City Council), Mrs Josephine Ncube (Harare City Council chamber secretary), Mr Pitiel Mujuru, Alderman Elijah Mathe (Gwayi catchment council chairman), Dr Beauty Basile, Mrs Francisca Zinyemba (IDBZ executive director), Engineer Vavarirai Choga and Engineer Albert Muyambo (Zinwa chief executive officer).
The board will serve for the next three years.

Speaking at the inauguration of the new board in Harare yesterday, Water Resources Development and Management Minister Samuel Sipepa-Nkomo tasked it to immediately come up with an effective debt clearing strategy to recoup millions of dollars owed by consumers.
Zinwa is owed over US$88 million by Government institutions, farmers, local authorities and industrialists.
“Revenue collection needs to be tightened and improved through updating of farmers’ database and continuous liaison with organisations funding agriculture activities such as the Grain Marketing Board and other corporate bodies which would ensure improved collection rates.

“The board is expected to come up with a sustainable and viable water pricing strategy that will ensure the affordability and accessibility of water and at the same time ensuring the survival of the authority,” he said.
Minister Sipepa-Nkomo said the board should rehabilitate all water supply infrastructure to ensure clean supply to stations.

“Most equipment at these stations has outlived their lifespan and thus continued operation and maintenance of these stations results in huge and unsustainable operational costs. The board is thus required to produce a rehabilitation plan,” he said.
The board, the minister said, should also complete outstanding projects being carried out countrywide.

“The board is also tasked with scouting for alternative sources of finance for projects and that should include private-public partnerships so as to raise capital and complete most of the outstanding works particularly where construction work is in progress and where the 100-day plan gives emphasis,” he said.

Minister Nkomo said raw water available at major dams such as Osborne Dam should be marketed and utilised fully.
“The business opportunities include mini-hydro power development, development of recreational parks around major dams and projects. The mineral water business must be capacitated and transformed into a vibrant entity,” he said.

Eng Ncube, a former Zhombe MP, was optimistic the new board would be “equal to the task”.
“We are hopeful that we will work within the mandate of the Water and Zinwa Acts. It is our hope that we will execute our mandate in an efficient and equitable manner that helps the country’s economy,” he said.

Zinwa owes its creditors a combined US$55 million mainly in statutory obligations to NSSA and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.
Unlike other authorities who can cut off consumers when they fail to service their debts, Zinwa cannot fathom such a decision as it would have dire consequences.