Africa-Press – Tanzania. ZANZIBAR first Vice-President, Othman Masoud Othman has officially launched a significant water project in Mfenesini Village, reinforcing the government’s commitment to enhancing social services, particularly ensuring the availability of clean and safe water in both urban and rural areas.
The inauguration of the Zanzibar Water Supply System Rehabilitation and Strengthening Project took place in Michungwa Miwili, Mfenesini, located in the Urban West Region of Unguja.
The event coincided with World Water Week celebrations, which this year, carries the theme: “Preserving Natural Vegetation for Water Security.” Mr Othman acknowledged that some areas in Unguja and Pemba still struggle to access clean and safe water.
However, he assured the public that the government was making significant strides through various projects to address the challenge.
The first Vice-President stressed the importance of environment conservation in ensuring groundwater security, drawing an example of ‘proper animal care for a steady milk supply.’
He added: “It is the responsibility of every individual, along with the Zanzibar Water Authority (ZAWA), to support environment conservation efforts and prioritise the protection of natural vegetation to guarantee water security.
Moreover, Mr Othman called on ZAWA to address internal inefficiencies before tackling external threats, urging the enforcement of stricter measures to prevent deliberate damage of water infrastructure.
Zanzibar’s Minister for Water, Energy and Minerals, Mr Shaibu Hassan Kaduara, also spoke at the event.
He said: “Projects like the Mfenesini Scheme are a testament to our commitment to fulfilling this obligation. We are making great efforts to ensure that every village has access to clean and safe water and we are getting closer to achieving this goal.”
Providing a technical overview of the project, ZAWA’s Director General, Dr Salha Mohamed Kassim explained that the Mfenesini Scheme includes two large water tanks with a combined capacity of 19 million litres.
He explained that the initiative wasa collaborative effort between the Zanzibar Revolutionary Government and India’s Exim Bank, with a total investment of 14.5 million US dollar (about 33.39bn/-).
The ceremony was attended by various government leaders, including ZAWA executives, political party representatives, experts and members of the public.
Also present was the Permanent Secretary of the Zanzibar ‘s Ministry of Water, Mr Joseph John Kilangi.
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