Relief in sight, thanks to 3.9bn/- water enterprise

THE Treasury has released 3.9bn/- (US$1.7million) to the Ministry of Water and Irrigation to support drilling and construction of boreholes in the country’s most affected areas

The minister, Engineer Isack Kamwelwe, told the National Assembly here yesterday that the Ministry of Finance and Planning had already released the money to support the campaign dubbed ‘Mtue Mama Ndoo Kichwani’, which loosely translates as ‘Lift a water bucket from a woman’s head’.

He was responding to a supplementary question by Special Seats MP Ms Ruth Mollel (Chadema), who had asked why the government had not embarked on drilling at least shallow boreholes, especially in areas facing acute water shortage.

It was a follow-up question to the basic one that was posed by the Arumeru West MP, Mr Gibson Maiseyeki (Chadema). Mr Maiseyeki had called for the government’s strategic plan to address the water crisis in 20 out of the 27 wards in the constituency.

“Water is a huge problem in Arumeru West, although, paradoxically, it is the source from which supplies to Arusha city is drawn. It is disturbing that Oldonyo Sambu and Oldonyo Sayosi villagers are compelled to use unsafe fluoride-contaminated water.

A ministerial statement acknowledged that 65 percent of the water supplied in Arusha is sourced from Arumeru West water sources. Mr Jumaa Aweso, the deputy minister, told Parliament that the government, through its Water Sector De velopment Programme, intended to improve water access in urban and rural areas by investing in infrastructures and rehabilitating the existing ones to cover a wider population.

He said the government had completed three projects covering Ilkirevi, Oleigeruno and Nduruma villages. “Six more projects in Bwawani, Likamba, Ngaramtoni, Oloitushula, Nengung’u and Loovilukuny are at various stages of implementation,” he said.

The deputy minister said during the 2017/18 financial year, at least 3bn/- was allocated for Arusha District Council to finalise implemen tation of water projects.

Meanwhile, Mr Aweso said the government, in partnership with the Department of International Development of the United Kingdom, had released 3.5bn/- for architectural services for water projects in Lengijave, Olkokola, Ekenywa, Ngaramtoni and Seuri villages.