Mujuru calls for private sector to assist, Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme

Zimbabwe's Vice-President Joice Mujuru has said the completion of the Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme Project in Binga has been stalled by a lack of finance as Government is the only source of funding for the project.

She called on the private sector players to come aboard and assist Government in the initiative.

Mujuru said this during a tour of the project in Binga yesterday where she also donated 15 tonnes of seed maize and five tonnes of sorghum seed to over 3 000 families.

"We are calling on investors to come and be part of this project as Government alone cannot complete it owing to limited funds," she said.

The Vice-President said Public- Private Partnerships (PPPs) were ideal, as the project would be implemented faster. She said Government was the sole sponsor of the irrigation scheme and had invested US$600 000 this year to assist in the electrification of water pumps and digging of trenches as well as land clearing.

Mujuru said the proposed PPP would see work at the site improving. She was also optimistic that locals would play a pivotal role in the project. She said they stood to become the major beneficiaries.
"If we get private investors, there would be significant change and the project would be completed in no time as the investors would channel money towards the project."

Chief engineer of the project Mr Charles Makula was hopeful that the project would be complete by year-end.
"I am optimistic that the project would be complete before year-end, although we have missed the target," he said.

"We want to complete electrifying the pipeline, site clearing and construction of the dam."