By Yamikani Yapuwa

Thyolo, September 6, Mana: Thyolo District Commissioner, Hudson Kuphanga, has expressed concerns over delays in constructing Namalowa Irrigation Scheme's multipurpose dam, a K1.4 billion project funded by the World Bank.

The dam, which has been constructed at Chalingana Village along the Mkama River, is intended to support irrigation, water supply, and fishing activities for the local community.

During his visit to the site on Thursday, Kuphanga faulted slow pace in the construction, warning that further delays could jeopardise the entire project as the rainy season approaches.

 "The work is going at a snail's pace, and as council, we are worried. If they don't work with speed, the site will be flooded with water, resulting in starting all over again,” added Kuphanga.

He urged the contractor to put in strategies that should help to speed up the construction without compromising on quality.

“We need to ensure that the project is completed on time so that the community should start benefiting from it,” he added.

Kuphanga also highlighted the council's ongoing engagement with development partners for support in implementing various projects listed in the District Development Plan (DDP) and Social Economic Profile (SEP).

“We have projects of this nature in the DDP and we would like to see similar initiatives across the district. Many people do not have farm land as the land was taken by estates, so promoting irrigation in their communities is crucial,” he added.

Responding to the concerns, SICO Civils Engineer, Precious Chamasowa acknowledged the delays and attributed them to changes in the construction site, which he said necessitated a redesign of the dam.

However, the contractor assured Thyolo District Council that measures have been put in place to accelerate the work to ensure successful completion.

“We had issues because the current construction site is not the initial one, so we had to rework the design. But that has been resolved and we are committed to completing the project by October 30," said Chamasowa.

Secretary for Malowa Irrigation Scheme, Vincent Mulume expressed optimism about the project's impact.

”At first, we built our dam using the little resources but the water wasn't enough for all of us. Once completed, we will be able to plant three times a year, which will alleviate hunger in our homes and improve our income levels."

Once completed, the multipurpose dam is expected to benefit over 90 smallholder farmers in the Malowa Irrigation Scheme area.