Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Minister of Water Hon. Nkaku Kabi interchanged ideas with the higher officials from the eight departments of the Ministry of Water last Wednesday about the
achievements that they have achieved since June 2020. The departments presented their reports based on achievements, challenges they have encountered and way forward.
These departments include the Lesotho Lowlands and Water Project (LLWP) Phase II, Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA), Water and Sewage Company (WASCO), Water Affairs, Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and
Village Water Supply, Lowlands Rural Water Supply and Integrated Catchments Management (ICM). In the dialogue, Kabi showed that the presentation entails the ministry’s accomplishments since
his tenure in office from June 2020 to June 2021. “I am impressed with the Rural Water Supply’s commitment in their services. They could have covered a larger part of the country if they did not face financial
complications. They have awarded jobs to Basotho and foreigners even though there are some cases where other service providers did not deliver properly,”
Kabi indicated He distressed the point of relocation of people at Thaba-Tseka near Katse dam and Maseru near Mohale dam, demanding the LHDA department to clarify on the process and the
promises that the authority has made to the community and responses. On the other hand, the LLWP Phase II Manager Mathealira Lerotholi said the LLWP project in
the Northern Region will be implemented in zone 2 and 3 being Maputsoe and Hlotse while in the Southern Region it will be in Mafeteng and Mohale’s Hoek.
He showed that the Government of Lesotho, the World Bank, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Union (EU) have financed the project. “The budget for the Northern Region is €68.4 million and €123 million
Euro for the Southern Region. The achievements that the project has reached include the implementation of Maputsoe boreholes and the yet to be completed compensation
policy that was presented before the Principal Chiefs and the Members of Parliament,” Lerotholi stated. When giving a report about Khokhoba community at Katse Thaba-Tseka, LHDA Chief Delegate
Tumisang Mosotho said the authority has recommended building water tanks that will supply water to the community, and that project will be completed mid-June
this year and the Minister of Water will officially handover the project to the community to answer the community grievances. “Roads construction at Mohale in
Thaba-Tseka which were hindered by the construction of the dam will now continue. However, the authority is in the process of finding a consultant who will be responsible for supervising the
contractor that will be awarded the construction tender,” Mosotho said. He further showed that the total number of the delayed compensations for Lesotho Highlands
Water Project (LHWP) Phase I project is estimated at 1100 and LHDA is working on them in batches to ensure that the process is completed. He said the authority has now placed a request of 400 stated queries before the LHDA
Commission. “Among these queries, more than 200 are valid while others are not. LHDA has already requested more than M1 million from the commission to approve
the optimal queries so that they can be cleared as they work on the other batch,” Mosotho explained. WASCO acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Thelejane Thelejane said the extension of water
supply to Ha-Foso, which was intended to serve additional five households is nearing completion, he said the work will extend to Ha-Sepinare to serve additional 40 households in the coming weeks.
“Extension of water supply to Mathokoane Lepereng to serve about 275 people has commenced and is ongoing and
the work on water supply to enhance reliability at Sea Point, Maseru East, Moshoeshoe II, Khubetsoana and Selakhapane is nearing completion as it is currently being commissioned,” he said.
Thelejane added that extension of water supply to Ha-Rasenkisi to serve 375 people has been completed and also the supply of existing network of Ha-Abia and Ha-Matala has been improved for increased reliability.
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