Minister pleads for Semwa Dam construction funds

Mashonaland Central Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Christopher Magomo (MP) has pleaded with the Treasury to swiftly release funds for the construction of the “lives changer” Semwa Dam in Rushinga.

Honourable Magomo toured the dam recently accompanied by a number of senior government officials from the Office of the President and Cabinet, ministries, government departments and agencies.

The dam engineer told him that the dam is now at 32 percent in terms of completion and would take approximately two to three years to complete.

However, Minister Magomo is of the opinion that the dam must be completed as early as possible so that the Rushinga and Mt Darwin populace starts to benefit from it.

The dam will provide sufficient water to the two border districts known for their perennial droughts and dire water shortages.

Residents here scramble for water points with their livestock and wild animals along the Ruya and Mazowe Rivers.

They are optimistic that after Semwa Dam construction, this will be a thing of the past.

Mothers foresee themselves running lucrative market gardening projects while men see the dam as a source of their money through fishing.

The Minister also toured Mt Darwin and Guruve districts recently.

He said in Mt Darwin he was also not happy with the state of infrastructure at Mukumbura Border Post.

“The infrastructure is very old, we need to upgrade it.

Also the link road from Harare, the capital to this border still has patches of gravel, that need s to be corrected.

“ We are the only province whose border link road is still in this state. We have to improve the road. l am happy His Excellency President Mnangagwa is also prioritising the road which is already under rehabilitation.”

About 34km of the road from close to Kamutsenzere to the Mukumbura border post is still a gravel road.

He however lamented the state of the border which he said was very porous and needed to be secured.

Minister Magomo said he was however happy that in the same district, the company working on tarring the Nyakasikana – Karanda Mission Hospital Road were almost through with their assignment. By Friday they were left with around 3kms to reach the mission hospital.

The Minister, during his office taking-over event last month, said he would work tirelessly to see that the road network across the province was in its best state in order to avoid accidents and necessitate the ease of doing business.

He also welcomed provincial residents to his office for developmental ideas sharing.

Minister Magomo said he is ready to welcome anyone to his office with plans to build and develop the province.

The Minister is on a province-wide familiarisation tour under which he is visiting councils to also hear about their concerns, plans and suggestions.

He is also visiting government priority projects in these districts.