Majaliwa emphasises environmental protection
MOROGORO: PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa yesterday laid the foundation stone for the 335.8bn/- Kidunda Dam project, emphasising the importance of environmental conservation and water resource management to enhance water availability in the country.
The dam, located in Morogoro Region, will have a storage capacity of 190 billion litres of water and is currently 28 per cent complete.
“Every Tanzanian, wherever they are, must priooritise environmental conservation and water source management. If we do not take this seriously, we will continue facing challenges. Conservation of water sources should be a permanent agenda and discussed at all decision-making levels,” he said.
He also urged regional and district authorities to identify and safeguard all critical water sources “We must work together—both the government and citizens—to identify and protect all water sources. Anyone violating these laws must be held accountable,” he added.
Majaliwa called on water authorities to continue educating the public on the significance of environmental conservation and water resource management to ensure a reliable water supply across the country.
Additionally, he stressed the need for proper management of agriculture and livestock activities to prevent environmental degradation and water source depletion.
To reinforce conservation efforts, the Prime Minister encouraged rural and watershed authorities to develop incentive programmes rewarding villages that excel in environmental conservation. “If a village is performing well in environmental conservation, it should be rewarded to further promote environmental preservation campaigns,” he emphasised.
Mr Majaliwa also directed water authorities to ensure that villages near water sources benefit from water supply services, motivating them to protect these resources.
He urged residents around the water sources feeding into the Kidunda Dam to take responsibility for safeguarding them, ensuring the dam’s sustainability.
“This project will only be sustainable if the water sources feeding into the Kidunda Dam are protected,” he stressed.
Minister for Water Jumaa Aweso assured that the ministry would not be an obstacle to the completion of the Kidunda Dam, which has been in planning for nearly 60 years.
He highlighted that the project was a vision of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, now being realised under the leadership of President Samia Suluhu Hassan to ensure a reliable water supply nationwide.
The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Eng Mwajuma Waziri, provided further insights into the project, stating that once completed, it will improve the supply of clean water for domestic use, agriculture and industries.
“This project will ensure a continuous water supply from the Ruvu River, providing an average of 24,000 litres per second, which will meet water demands, especially during drought periods,” she noted.
She added that several activities are currently underway, including the construction of a 75 km gravel road from Ngerengere to Kidunda and a 101 km transmission line from Kidunda to Chalinze, linking the dam to the national grid.
Regarding the sustainability of the project, she emphasised that the government, through the Wami/Ruvu Basin Water Board, is implementing conservation and management efforts for the water sources feeding the dam. These efforts include issuing land use certificates and marking permanent boundaries in the Mvuha, Mgeta, Ruvu and Ngerengere River catchments.
