Sikhala accuses the govt of sabotage

ZENGEZA West Member of Parliament Job Sikhala yesterday accused the government and Chitungwiza council officials of sabotaging community development projects in the town.

Sikhala said the government had failed to construct a dam for the country's third most populous urban area and vowed to lobby Parliament to ensure the project is implemented.

He spoke at an event to commission two borehole projects he funded in Zengeza 2 and Zengeza 5.

"Chitungwiza relies on Harare for its water supplies, that is why potable water is so dear in our town," Sikhala said.

"When (Ignatius) Chombo was still the Local Government minister, a private investor approached council to build a dam on a buildoperate-and-transfer basis but the project was shot down," Sikhala said.

"I have seen the documents and nothing changed when Saviour Kasukuwere took over from Chombo."

Sikhala said Parliament was going to descend on Chitungwiza to investigate complaints he raised on the unprofessional conduct of certain council officials, who were derailing his projects in the constituency.

"Now some doctor called Kasu, a council official, has sabotaged my project to provide vendors with suitable vending stalls," he said.
"This project is for residents, it is for the community and after its completion, it was going to be handed over to council, which was hoping to benefit from the rates paid by vendors."

A council official from the engineering department, Joseph Zenda, who officiated at the event also appealed to the government to provide a long-term solution to the water crisis in Chitungwiza by the constructing a dam.

A circular from Chitungwiza council acting town clerk to all acting works managers said Harare was cutting down its supply of water to the town as water levels at the Prince Edward Dam were dwindling.