Tanzania government scraps charges on boreholes

Minister for Works, Transport and Communications, Prof Makame Mnyaa Mbarawa respond questions from MP’s at Parliament in Dodoma yesterday. PHOTO|EDWAN MJWAHUZI

What you need to know:

  • In an effort to address water woes, the government has scrapped off charges on drilled wells used for domestic activities, Water minister Makame Mbarawa revealed in Parliament. However, it turned down the MPs’ proposal to double the water levy charged on petrol and diesel from the current Sh50 per litre, to boost the Water Fund specifically for financing water projects.

Dodoma. In an effort to address water woes, the government has scrapped charges on drilled wells for domestic use, Water minister Makame Mbarawa revealed in Parliament yesterday. However, it turned down MPs’ proposal to double the water levy charged on petrol and diesel from the current Sh50 per litre, to boost the Water Fund, specifically for financing water projects.

“Our priority is not increasing the size of the fund for financing projects, but rather how to manage it to ensure is used as intended. You can have billions of shillings but if you cannot manage the nothing good can happen,” noted Prof Mbarawa.

Speaking shortly before the House approved the ministry’s budget for the financial year 2019/20, Prof Mbarawa said the government had launched a crackdown to clean up the ministry. “As I speak we have removed from office 14 officials who were found guilty of embezzling funds in water projects. We have also disbanded the Water Fund board,” he revealed.

There was heated debate before Parliament approved the ministry’s Sh634.2 billion budget for the 2019/20 financial year, with a number of lawmakesr demanding that the government charge a Sh50/litre levy on fuel and channel the same to water development projects.

Igunga MP Dalaly Kafumu (CCM) said an addition of Sh50 on water levy charged on fuel would boost the Water Fund and eventually address acute water shortages across the country.

Mufindi South legislator Mendard Kigola (CCM) said: “We (MPs) have been proposing an increase in water levy on fuel for three consecutive years, but to no avail.”

Kibamba lawmaker John Mnyika (Chadema) warned that delay in disbursement of funds for water projects would worsen water shortages.

“Until April, some Sh329 billion was yet to be dished out to the Ministry of Water. Out of the amount, Sh288 billion is locally sourced funds...this is unacceptable,” noted Mr Mnyika. This, he said, can be attributed to the government’s unrealistic budget.

He dismissed government figures showing that 65 per cent and 80 per cent of residents in rural and urban areas respectively were accessing water, saying they were not reflecting the situation on the ground.

Ndanda lawmaker Cecil Mwambe (Chadema) said the government needed a good strategy on financing water projects. “The government comes up with many big long-term projects, which are not our priority. People need water and not otherwise,” stressed Mr Mwambe.

Last Friday, Kaliua MP Magdalena Sakaya (CUF) and Igalula legislator Mussa Ntimizi (CCM) vowed not to vote in favour of the budget proposal should the government ignore their proposal to increase water levy on fuel.

Bariadi lawmaker Andrew Chenge (CCM) called on his fellow MPs to stand by their resolution on doubling water levy on fuel unless the government comes with more sustainable option to boost the Water Fund.

Mtama MP Nape Nnauye (CCM) said: “Turning down the proposal to double water levy on fuel is a contempt of the Parliament. If the government cannot work on our recommendations, what for are we here?”