AfDB oils Zesa wheels

THE African Development Bank (AfDB) has donated 10 vehicles worth US$800 000 to Zesa Holdings to enable the power utility to reach out to areas where electricity supplies were cut off by Cyclone Idai in Manicaland province.

The donated vehicles comprised eight knuckle boom crane and two Nissan single cab pick-up trucks.

The AfDB also pledged to support the country’s disaster early warning programmes to mitigate the impact of natural catastrophes.

The project will be funded under the Post-Cyclone Idai and Kenneth Emergency Recovery and Resilience Project, which is managed by the United Nations Office for Project Services in Zimbabwe.

Local Government minister July Moyo said this would improve the country’s preparedness in light of the rainy season.

“The 2021 to 2022 rainfall season, which was predicted to be characterised by largely normal to above normal rainfall, is upon us and this requires us to heighten our preparedness planning efforts in order to mitigate the impacts of the disaster,” he said.

AfDB country manager Moono Mupotola said the bank would also provide funding towards provision of equipment for electricity distribution, rehabilitation of roads and safe drinking water sources.

“Our strategy is to increase support for capacity building of African countries to tackle climate change risks,” Mupotola said. The vehicle donation is expected to assist the power utility to improve electricity supplies in areas that were destroyed by Cyclone Idai in Manicaland province.

The donation to Zesa and disaster early warning programmes amounts to US$5,3 million.-newsday