Finance minister Tendai Biti yesterday told Parliament the Bulawayo City Council has failed to utilise close to $6 million it was allocated by government in the 2012 National Budget to upgrade its water reticulation system.
Presenting his mid-term budget review statement, Biti said the money was meant for the rehabilitation of boreholes in the city.
Biti’s disclosure came at a time the municipality had started implementing a harsh water-rationing regime following reports most of the city’s supply dams were below 50% of their capacity.
Bulawayo mayor Thaba Moyo could not be reached to explain why his council had failed to withdraw the money and use it to augment the city’s dwindling water supplies.
Biti had allocated the city $6,5 million for rehabilitation of water and sewer infrastructure in this year’s budget.
Recently, the municipality announced that it would introduce an eight-hour daily water-rationing regime for the city as water levels at the supply dams had reached alarming levels.
Biti also announced that government had procured two cancer-screening machines for Mpilo Central and Parirenyatwa hospitals at a cost of $10 million.
