AfricaPress-Tanzania: KALENGA Member of Parliament, Godfrey Mgimwa (CCM), has told the government to fix the dilapidated water infrastructures in Masaka and Kalenga wards, which he claims adds-up to the already existing water problem facing a dozen residents.
The legislator said that an alarming increase in the population at Kalenga constituency had amplified pressure on the resource that also has dilapidated infrastructure.
“As a result, a number of villages, especially in Masaka and Kalenga wards, are facing acute shortage of water supply,” he said and wanted to know when the Ministry of Water will embark on a comprehensive investigation and subsequently implement a realistic water project to address the water problem in the wards.
Responding, the Deputy Minister for Water, Jumaa Aweso said the government is partnering with development partners to expand the Iringa water supply project.
The project currently executed by the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Authority—RUWASA is being implemented in partnership with Waridi, a USAID supported initiative.
According to the Deputy Minister, the expansion work will be completed this month.
“The government is working with a number of stakeholders and development partners to conduct feasibility studies of the new water project in Kalenga,” he said, adding that they are also working on rehabilitation of the existing infrastructures that were fixed many years ago to stabilize water supply in all communities.
Aweso acknowledged the challenge in water accessibility in some parts of Kalenga constituency, notably Masaka and Kalenga wards. He went on to detail that Masaka’s ward include three villages of Kaning’ombe, Sadani and Makota and Kalenga ward’s affected villages include Kalenga, Isakalilo and Tosamaganga.
He said the government has completed fixing water distribution pipes in the two villages of Kaning’ombe and Sadani in Masaka ward that now have access to the precious liquid.
He explained that the three villages in Kalenga access the precious liquid from the Tanangozi—Kalanga project that target to benefit 11 villages from Mseke, Masaka, Kalenga and Ulanda wards.
The project was funded and implemented by DANIDA in the 1980s.
Mr Aweso said the project has been incapacitated due to an increase in population and it’s ageing infrastructures.
