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{
"id": 1545288,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545288/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "The Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "end of January, 2025. The remaining works are on the concrete face-slab placement, that is, the plaster, the spillway bridge and the hydromechanical equipment installation. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the construction period was expected to end on 7th December, 2024, and the anticipated completion date of the dam could not be realised because of the following reasons- (1) There were delays in work progress because of an increase in the dam height from 77.5 meters to 80.5 meters to increase storage capacity. (2) There were weak foundations of the dam at the riverbed, which was discovered during its construction, necessitating excessive excavation and special treatment that took quite a while. (3) The global pandemic and the war at Ukraine that resulted in scaling down of the labour force due to lack of explosives - and when I talk of explosives, it is about ammonium nitrates in the country during the period from 2020 to 2023. The country imports these explosives, some iron and steel products from Ukraine. During this period, the available explosives were between 150 to 200 tonnes per month, against a demand of 600 to 700 tonnes per month. In addition, during the pandemic, ammonium nitrates used to produce explosives were directed to the production of oxygen to support the fight against the pandemic. We have letters written to the Principal Secretary, the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining to intervene and support the contractor to acquire these key supplies that were required at foundation level. Mr. Speaker, Sir, adequate time required to allow the dam embankment to settle before the concrete face-slab, which is the remaining component is done, has greatly reduced the rate of works. This is because, the hauling of material from the quarry sites to the dam embankment has been completed. Just to give a perspective of the construction, at the peak, the contractor had deployed around 77 trucks, 21 rigs and 31 excavators, which made the site very active and very busy. Mr. Speaker, Sir, part two of the question was what measures has the Government put in place to ensure the timely completion of the dam, and could the Cabinet Secretary give the timelines? The remaining dam construction works are on the concrete face-slab placement, the spillway bridge and the hydromechanical equipment installation. These works were due to commence once the dam embankment settlement rate, which the rate is five millimetres per month and below is achieved, as advised and adopted by the Panel of Experts. Therefore, the Ministry is undertaking the following measures to ensure timely completion of the project- (1) The Ministry and the dam supervision consultant, in consultation with the World Dam Safety Panel of Experts, has been monitoring the settlement level of embankment for a period of nine months from July, 2024 until the attainment of the recommended rate. (2) As at 30th January, 2025, all settlement recordings for the critical sections of the dam embankment had reduced to below the recommended five millimetre per month The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}