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Yeukai Karengezeka Herald Correspondent
Chitungwiza Municipality requires $1 million to hire an independent consultant to conduct feasibility studies for the proposed Muda Dam, an official has said. The proposed dam, which is situated in Mahusekwa, approximately 40 kilometres south of Chitungwiza, is estimated to cost $350 million.

The project, which is a public private partnership initiative with construction and civil engineering company Sesani, will need to be approved by Cabinet once the feasibility studies are complete.

Town Clerk Dr George Makunde said they expected to receive funding for the feasibility studies from the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ).

“We are progressing quite well and we are in discussions with IDBZ to conclude the approval process for the funds before the end of this month,” he said.

“As soon as this is done, we will be notified of the date when a tender can be advertised in the press.”

Initially, Sesani had carried out its own feasibility studies which were not adequate, prompting the new committee to find an independent consultant. “Primarily, Sesani had done their own feasibility studies, but there were some components that were not done, but were added by the steering committee that is handling the Muda Dam project,” said Dr Makunde.

“There is a new structure that was put in place by Government called Joint Venture Unit which falls under the planning section in the Ministry of Finance which requested us to engage an independent consultant and major work must be done for us to conclusively say this dam project is viable in all respects.”

Councillors adopted the plan to build Muda Dam as part of the local authority’s 2019-2023 strategic goals during a special council meeting last week. According to the strategic plan, review of the Muda Dam designs are expected to be carried out next year.

Recently, Chitungwiza residents urged Government to prioritise the construction of Muda Dam to mitigate the water crisis in the town that could worsen and expose residents to water-borne diseases like cholera and typhoid.

The dam is expected to provide clean raw water, which will be purified at Prince Edward Water Works.