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Harare Bureau
WATER Resources Development and Management Minister Samuel Sipepa Nkomo yesterday tore into Bulawayo South MP, Mr Eddie Cross for making “irresponsible” comments on issues that he was not conversant with. Minister Sipepa Nkomo said Mr Cross’s claims that the Zimbabwe National Water Authority had no capacity to supervise dam projects were misplaced since the backbencher did not have civil engineering expertise.
The exchange between the two MDC-T legislators were made in the House of Assembly yesterday when Minister Sipepa-Nkomo was responding to comments made by Mr Cross last week during his contribution to the Portfolio Committee on Public Accounts focusing on status of dam projects.
Mr Cross had blamed Zinwa for the delay in the completion of several dam projects.
But Minister Sipepa Nkomo said Zinwa had well trained engineers from local universities with experience in designing and supervising dam projects.
“It therefore boggles the mind how the MP was in a position to adjudge negatively the highly technical work carried out on such complex projects,” said Minister Sipepa Nkomo.
“Hon Cross claims to have been in business for the past 50 years, but what is now appearing is that he has never been anywhere near engineering business.”
He said Mr Cross should direct his energy on Finance Minister Tendai Biti to provide financial resources for the expeditious completion of dam projects.
“I therefore implore the Hon MP to lobby Treasury on behalf of my ministry so that adequate financial resources are availed on time and this would transform into the projects being completed timely within budget (estimates),” he said.
Minister Sipepa Nkomo also rapped Mr Cross for alleging that the minister had gone to commission the Mtshabezi Dam when it was not complete.
“With all due respect, I am concerned by the insinuation that I went to commission a project that had not been completed and had no electricity. I am the Minister responsible for water in the country and am fully apprised of all projects across the country, Mtshabezi pipeline included,” he said.
Leading civil engineer, Zacharia Mukarakate of Multiforce Contractors, concurred with Minister Sipepa Nkomo in an interview early this week that Government should leave Zinwa to supervise dam projects.
He said taking away supervision of dam projects would cost the Government almost 10 times more than what it costs now.
Eng Mukarakate also said the Committee had got its facts wrong when it said Multiforce had been given Beitbridge pipeline, the project had been given to another firm.
Multiforce was awarded the Bubi-Lupane Dam project which it has since completed and commissioned and handed over to Zinwa.
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