SEVERAL Cooperating Partners have responded to a request from the Governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe to assist with the rehabilitation of Kariba Dam.
The rehabilitation works for the project are estimated to be in excess of US$280 million.
This is according to a press statement released in Livingstone yesterday, Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) Public Relations and Communications Manager Elizabeth Karonga.
Ms Karonga said ZRA, the bi-national organization managing the Zambezi River on behalf of the Governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe, recently hosted representatives from the African Development Bank (AfDB), the European Union (EU), the Swedish Embassy to Zambia and the World Bank Group (WBG) to finalise preparations in support of the rehabilitation of the Kariba Dam.
She said the EU intends to mobilise US$100 million while the WBG and AfDB propose to finance US$75 million each.
Mr Karonga said the Government of Sweden was also considering covering another US$30 million, and the balance would be counterpart funds from ZRA.
The Kariba Dam and Hydro-Electric Scheme (HES) was constructed across the Zambezi River between 1956 and 1959 and it has been central to energy security and supporting economic development in both Zambia and Zimbabwe.
After 50 years of operation serving the Southern African Region, the Kariba Dam now requires rehabilitation works for its continued safe operation.
A failure to invest in the timely rehabilitation of the dam will result in the gradual degradation of key dam safety features to a level below international standards.
Therefore, this rehabilitation project, which represents the culmination of a series of in-depth technical studies over the past few years, is absolutely crucial, and will restore the full safety of the dam.
Speaking at the end of a series of meetings between the Cooperating Partners and officials from the two Governments over the past three weeks, ZRA Chief Executive, Munyaradzi Munodawafa said the outcome of the meetings between the two governments and the Cooperating Partners had been successful.
“A number of issues relating to implementation were discussed which paves the way to ensure the rehabilitation works are adequately funded, “he said.
Welcoming the conclusions of the evaluation meetings by the Cooperating Partners, EU Head of Delegation to Zambia, Gilles Hervio said he was pleased with the progress that had been made so far in the preparatory work.
He said there was need to ensure that the rehabilitation works were done in a timely manner to avert a power deficit in future.
“This illustrates the EU’s resolve to secure and increase access to electricity in Zambia and the Region with the aim of improving the living conditions of the poor and promoting economic development,” he said.
AfDB Country Representative Freddie Kwesiga said he was impressed with the great team work and sense of urgency by the technical teams of the financing institutions and ZRA.
“They have shown that working together among Cooperating Partners can achieve greater development results”.
This rehabilitation is important in that it will also secure an already constrained generation capacity in the southern African region,” Dr Kwesiga said
WBG Country Director Kundhavi Kadiresan said the Bank was pleased that the intensive work that the technical teams had been doing in the last few years were going to bear fruit.
“Reliable power generation is needed to meet the ever increasing demands of the region.
The work between Zambia and Zimbabwe on the Kariba rehabilitation has paved the way for further collaboration on harnessing energy sources between the two countries so that transformational changes can be made in the lives of the people in the sub-region,” Dr Kadiresan said.
Sweden’s Ambassador to Zambia Lena Nordström said access to secure and sustainable energy was a key priority for development cooperation in the country.
“The consequences of a dam failure would be a serious setback for efforts to reduce poverty and to the impressive economic development of Zambia in recent years, making swift rehabilitation of the dam is the only available course of action,” she said.
So Mushota’s horny uncle Nsanda won’t benefit ka?
Lovely!!!!!
Honourable Yaluma..or is it dishonourable Yaluma is not record rubbishing any suggestions (then) that the Kariba Dam was in any danger of collapse. Now why would any sensible Govt be looking to add more debt to its finances to rehabilitate a perfectly intact dam? Beyond me…
People are supposed to see direction and value in ministerial statements but it appears that cant be said for the PF. Its lies, denial of truths, more lies and more debt…
@It’s a worry; exactly my sentiments. These ministers and some hired engineers are on record saying the dam was structurally fine and didn’t need any work. How come there is a bill of $280m to be spent on strengthening a structure that is sound. And when we say PF is a bunch of purveyors of lies, we are labelled doom sayers.
What’s the point of celebrating 50 years of independence when we can not support ourselves….always running to the colonial master to seek assistance.
Where is all that money Zesco makes from this dam? You telling us our govt cannot find even $100million for maintenance.
Stop wasting money guys. The dam isn’t going to collapse! The Economic Hit men from the those Banks are just laughing at how gullible and f00lish you are. Now they own the dam.
Exactly. ..when are we going to wake up…we have these old leaders who have learnt anything from the sale of the mines. There is no sich thing as cooperating partner…how can a bank be a partner?
All as per CNP mode of operating. So Zesco does not save any money? Is it a loss making organisation? Good business practice entells saving something for a rainy day. Besides how much of the Eurobond was for Power generation or ws it earmarked for new power plants?
Was it not recently when they said that the wall is intact and strong & does not require any works. These liers we have as leaders