News / National
Mtshabezi pipeline commissioning abruptly called off, Zanu-PF accused of sabotage
20 Jul 2013 at 08:24hrs | Views
THERE was a circus yesterday when the Minister of Water Resources Development and Management, Dr Samuel Sipepa Nkomo abruptly cancelled the commissioning of the Mtshabezi water pipeline by Deputy Prime Minister, Ms Thokozani Khupe.
Embarrassingly, Dr Sipepa Nkomo cancelled the event when Ms Khupe, senior officials from the Ministry of Water Resources Development and Management and invited guests among them journalists had already gathered at the site to witness the occasion.
Dr Sipepa Nkomo had to hold an impromptu onsite Press Conference in a bid to spruce up his image following the bungling.
In an interview, Dr Sipepa Nkomo attributed the development to technical problems encountered by the engineers in the connection of electricity to power the pumps.
He blamed Zanu-PF supporters and Bulawayo Metropolitan Governor, Cain Mathema of deliberately "sabotaging" his party ahead of elections.
"The Deputy Prime Minister failed to commission the Mtshabezi pipeline because Cain Mathema and people from his party, Zanu-PF came to the site yesterday and disconnected the powerline in an act of sabotage. The project was spearheaded by an MDC-T minister and they are not happy with that.
"We could not go ahead with commissioning because there was no power. Our engineers are now busy trying to trace where the line was cut," he said.
Local traditional leaders had initially warned the Ministry of Water Resources Development and Management against commissioning the pipeline without consulting them.
The headman for Kumbuzi, Mr Mann Nkala yesterday said the local leadership was not consulted about the planned commissioning.
Embarrassingly, Dr Sipepa Nkomo cancelled the event when Ms Khupe, senior officials from the Ministry of Water Resources Development and Management and invited guests among them journalists had already gathered at the site to witness the occasion.
Dr Sipepa Nkomo had to hold an impromptu onsite Press Conference in a bid to spruce up his image following the bungling.
In an interview, Dr Sipepa Nkomo attributed the development to technical problems encountered by the engineers in the connection of electricity to power the pumps.
"The Deputy Prime Minister failed to commission the Mtshabezi pipeline because Cain Mathema and people from his party, Zanu-PF came to the site yesterday and disconnected the powerline in an act of sabotage. The project was spearheaded by an MDC-T minister and they are not happy with that.
"We could not go ahead with commissioning because there was no power. Our engineers are now busy trying to trace where the line was cut," he said.
Local traditional leaders had initially warned the Ministry of Water Resources Development and Management against commissioning the pipeline without consulting them.
The headman for Kumbuzi, Mr Mann Nkala yesterday said the local leadership was not consulted about the planned commissioning.
Source - chronicle
