In Tanzania, the government suspended M.A. Kharafi & Sons from the Mwanga-Same-Korogwe water mega-project. It is one of the two companies that were awarded the contract to build the drinking water production facilities for the mega-project. M.A. Kharafi & Sons was expected to complete its work in 2017.
In Tanzania, the Mwanga-Same-Korogwe water mega-project launched in 2014 is stalled. This is due to the slow pace of work by construction companies, notably Kharafi, which is expected to deliver the water treatment facilities in 2017. But in 2021, the taps of households in the beneficiary districts (Mwanga, Same and Korogwe) remain dry.
Faced with this situation, the Tanzanian government recently decided to eject M.A. Kharafi from the drinking water mega-project. “We will do everything possible to find another contractor to complete the work started by the Kharafi group,” says Jumaa Aweso, the Tanzanian Minister of Water and Irrigation.
Badr East Africa Enterprises on the other hand remains in the project. It is the company hired by the government of this East African country to build the water distribution facilities, as part of the mega-project of drinking water Mwanga-Same-Korogwe. Badr East Africa Enterprises has until the end of March 2021 to complete its work as stipulated in its contract.
The water supply for nearly 440,000 people
The drinking water project consists of two phases. According to our colleagues in the Daily News, the first stage will allow the construction and operation of a raw water intake and pumping station, a drinking water plant, storage reservoirs, 12 km of pipelines and a power supply. This phase should cover nine villages (Ruvu Mferejini Ruvu, Jiungeni, Handeni, Lang’ata Bora, Lang’ata Kagongo, Nyabinda, Kiti Cha Mungu Njia, Panda and Kirya) in three districts.
The second component of the mega-project covers the construction of a water pumping station in Kisangara, a storage reservoir in Kiverenge, a gravity main and service tanks to serve the 28 villages and two small towns.
Ultimately, the Mwanga-Same-Korogwe water mega-project is expected to produce 103,700 m3 per day, improving the water supply to 246,793 people in Same and 177,085 in Mwanga in the Kilimanjaro region; and 15,053 people in Korogwe district in the Tanga region.
According to Jumaa Aweso, the Tanzanian Minister of Water and Irrigation, the government is implementing the drinking water project at a cost of 262 billion Tanzanian shillings (nearly $113 million). The funds come from several financial institutions, including the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ADEA), the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), the Opep Fund for International Development (OFID), the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD); as well as the Tanzanian state.
Inès Magoum
