Govt to audit Dabengwa’s MZWT

Dabengwa took charge of the Trust when he was a government minister and a member of President Robert Mugabes Zanu (PF) party. He has since left the party to revive the old opposition PF-ZAPU party.

But Dabengwa has sought to retain control of the MZWT that was set up by concerned leaders from the Matabeleland provinces to spearhead the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project (MZWP) that is seen as providing a lasting solution to the southern regions perennial water woes.

The project to draw water from the Zambezi River to the arid Matabeleland region is also a sure vote-catcher for any political party.

However the water project has moved at a snails pace despite the government claiming that it has provided funds to quicken progress, while there have also been numerous but yet to be substantiated allegations of misuse of project funds.

Nkomo, who last week announced that the government was planning to takeover control of the MZWT, said auditing of the Trust would begin upon his return from Denmark this week.

The minister, who like Dabengwa also hails from Matabeleland, said: What Cabinet has done is to ask me as the minister responsible to talk to all stakeholders and produce a comprehensive report on MZWT and MZWPand obviously, the report will include what the MZWT has done about the MZWP project, including MZWTs audited financial accounts.

He added: I think you are aware that Arnold Payne (a former Bulawayo councillor and water activist) once went to court to try and force MZWT to produce audited financial accounts I do not quite think the audited accounts report was produced. The government is concerned.

Dabengwa could not be reached for comment over government plans to audit the MZWT.

But the PF-ZAPU chairman has criticised the government for wanting to seize control of the water project and accused Nkomo of trying to nationalise a regional project.

Dabengwa told journalists last week that the MWZP was an initiative of the local people and that the government had no right to take it over.

The opposition politician accused Nkomo of always talking about devolution of power to the regions and yet doing the opposite when it came to the MWZP.

He said: We want to point out that Sipepa Nkomo seems to be operating against the grain by seeking to nationalise regional projects at a time when everyone has seen the need for devolution.