Advisory Council to MZWP yet to take off

The Advisory Council to National Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project is yet to convene its first meeting over two months after it was constituted, casting doubts that the body will make an impact in pushing for the completion of the long standing project.

A member of the council and also Bulawayo Deputy Mayor Amen Mpofu told radio dialogue that they are set to meet on the 19^th of this month to craft an action plan.

He said: “This will be our first meeting and thereafter I think I will be in a position to say more about our role.”

Mpofu could however, not give more information but insisted that the council is composed of individual ready to work for the completion of the project.

A member of the Matabeleland Civic Society Forum Anglistone Sibanda however, said the council has taken long to assume kickstart its mandate.

“Already there is a problem in that the council seems to be lacking urgency when it is a fact that the city and Matabeleland region are facing a water crisis,” said Sibanda.

He added: “It looks like there is no mutuality among Cabinet Ministers in government to support the efforts being put in place by the Minister of Water (Samuel Sipepa Nkomo).”

Sibanda said the water problems facing Bulawayo and Matabeleland region need urgent intervention measures. Sibanda said council’s failure to meet long after it was set up opens questions about its capacity to handle the task before it.

Minister Nkomo two months ago unveiled a 25-member Advisory Council which is chaired by Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Donald Khumalo.