HARARE, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwe government will soon float an infrastructure bond to raise funds for the cash-strapped capital city so that it can revamp service delivery.
Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo told reporters on Thursday that the funds will be used to improve provision of water, sewer services and rehabilitation of roads, among others.
"The Minister of Finance said they are going to float an infrastructure bond. It will target water, sewer, roads, electricity and all infrastructure which includes equipment for refuse collection," said Moyo.
He said government was committed to solving Harare's perennial water and sewer challenges.
The Harare City Council is currently struggling to supply clean and uninterrupted water to its residents owing to inadequate foreign currency to import treatment chemicals as well as low dam water levels.
On Monday this week, the local authority closed down its main treatment plant, Morton Jaffray, leaving at least two million residents without tap water.
The council only resumed water treatment a day later after securing chemicals that it said were enough for one week.
Moyo said construction of Kunzvi Dam to the east of Harare was the panacea to the capital's perennial water challenges.
He said the capacity of Morton Jaffray treatment plant also needs to be upgraded to enhance water supplies.
"The long-term is to enhance Morton Jaffray. We went half-way with the Chinese loan which was 144 million U.S. dollars but we were able to use only 72 million dollars and there were problems. We are trying to revive it," he said.
