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Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri

Locadia Mavhudzi Midlands Reporter.
There is need to rehabilitate dams in the Midlands province in order to support the command fisheries programme, Environment, Water and Climate Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has said. This comes as the Zimbabwe National Water Authority has identified 37 sites for new water weirs, 67 breached dams and 34 dams to be de-silted across the Midlands province. Speaking at the launch of the command fisheries project at Insukamini Dam in Lower Gweru last week, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri challenged the Zinwa to speed up the process of rehabilitating infrastructure at various dams identified for the command fisheries programme.

“I would like to urge Zinwa to take immediate action to restore damaged infrastructure at all water bodies in the province so that communities can fully participate in the command fisheries programme,” she said.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said Government had unveiled $20 million from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to support the programme and all water bodies would be incorporated.

“Government has injected $20 million for the national command fisheries,” she said. “This figure shows that Government is fully committed to support command fisheries. We urge all people, especially the unemployed youths in rural areas to register for command fisheries.”

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri donated 30 tonnes of cement for the construction of water weirs across the Midlands province.

“This cement will be used to construct water weirs in all districts across the province,” she said. “The water wiers will be used for rainwater harvesting. I encourage all communities to participate in the construction of these weirs as Zinwa engineers will be providing technical expertise.”

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri donated $200 000 for the sinking of boreholes in the province.

“I have also brought $200 000 for the sinking of boreholes in critical areas across the province. Nhlangano Primary School, which is near Insukamini Dam, should also benefit. I was not impressed that the school does not have a borehole,” she said.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri donated an additional 50 000 more fingerlings to Insukamini Dam from the 100 000 that had been put in the dam early this year.