Kariba Dam rehabs to cost $294 million

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Kariba Dam,Lake Kariba from the Zimbabwean side. © Bill Corcoran:IRIN
File pic: Kariba Dam,Lake Kariba from the Zimbabwean side. © Bill Corcoran:IRIN

MINISTER of Energy and Water Development Dora Siliya says the Kariba Dam rehabilitation project will cost US$294.2 million and co-operating partners will provide the funds.

Ms Siliya told Parliament in a ministerial statement that studies and investigations aimed at designing solutions to rectify the identified safety concerns at the dam, the prescription of plunge pool reshaping and spillway refurbishment as a solution to address the safety concerns.

“Urgent remedial measures are required to help secure long-term safety and reliability of the dam. In order to finance these measures, the governments of the republics of Zambia and Zimbabwe approved the mobilisation of funds to cover the estimated cost of implementing the rehabilitation measures,” Ms Siliya said.

She said the works would be carried over a period of 10 years and the following development partners offered financing on concessionary terms: African Development Bank (AfDB), European Union (EU), Swedish government (SIDA) and the World Bank (WB).

AfDB will provide US$75 million, SIDA US$25 million, EU US$100 million, WB US$75 and the Zambezi River Authority US$19.2 million.
“Mr Speaker, the Kariba Dam rehabilitation project is required to avoid potential emergency situation. Without reshaping the plunge pool and refurbishment of the spillway upstream facility, the Kariba Dam will not operate as intended,” Ms Siliya said.

Meanwhile, Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini has urged members of Parliament (MP) and the general public to exercise caution when commenting on the proceedings of Parliament to avoid making statements that may violate freedom of debate enjoyed by the House and its members.
Dr Matibini said this in a ruling on a point of order raised last December by Monze Central MP Jack Mwiimbu (UPND) against Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Chishimba Kambwili and three outsiders, namely Frank Bwalya, Brian Hapunda and Kennedy Kamba, bordering on tribal remarks.

“I want to caution all members and the general public that while they have the right to comment on the proceedings of the House, this should not be done in a manner that is derogatory or denigrates the House and its members,” Dr Matibini said.
Meanwhile, Mr Kambwili told journalists at Parliament grounds yesterday during break that the claim by the UPND that it will create jobs on the Copperbelt if voted for is a joke of the year.

“The UPND has very little understanding of global economics. The price of commodities have gone down. The global economy is under stress. Retrenchments are not peculiar to Zambia.
“Anglo America in South Africa is retrenching 16,000 workers. It is laughable for a political party to say that retrenchments are avoidable,” Mr Kambwili said.
He said China will retrench 1.8 million employees and wondered where new jobs that UPND is promising will come from.

Zambia Daily Mail

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