Tanzania: Suma JKT Given Two Months to Finish Water Project

DEPUTY Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Water Nadhifa Kemikimba has issued a two-month ultimatum to National Service Construction Unit-SUMA JKT to finish the construction of a billion-shilling water tank at Chamwino in Dodoma.

The tank, strategically constructed at Buigiri Village, is designed to supply water to Chamwino residents and Uhuru Referral Hospital.

Speaking during her tour of the project, the deputy PS said the tank would have the capacity to store 2.5 million litres of water.

"We have agreed with the contractor to ensure the project is completed by the end of February. This means they have less than 60 days to complete the work," she said, noting that the crucial project costs 998m/-.

The new tank was projected to be completed in September last year.

Ms Kemikimba tasked the Rural and Urban Water Supply Agency (Ruwasa) to monitor the progress of the project daily.

The deputy PS also visited deep borehole drilling projects at Ihumwa and Nzuguni, expressing concern over the progress.

She urged the drilling unit under the water agency to intensify its team and ensure drilling was completed on time to improve water supply in the country's capital.

Dodoma Urban Water Supply Authority (Duwasa) Acting Chief Executive Officer Aron Joseph said Duwasa was implementing water projects, especially drilling boreholes to increase water supply in the city.

"We have a water shortage in the city centre and currently, we are drilling boreholes in areas such as Nzuguni to increase water supply in the CBD," he said.

He said 10 boreholes currently under construction would be completed at the end of this month.

The government said it had resolved to implement a water project from Lake Victoria in its long term strategy, as well as Farkwa Dam to end water woes in the region.

Water shortage in Dodoma rose at an alarming rate in the beginning of 2017, following the government's decision to shift its administration from Dar es Salaam in 2016.