Good afternoon. This week brings yet another idea for an ambitious infrastructure project from a government minister. We have already heard from transport minister João Matlombe recently about a proposal to build a north-south railway for an estimated $7.2bn and road repairs after the floods to cost $3.5bn. Now it is agriculture minister Roberto Albino’s turn. He has said that the government wants to build a dam in Gaza province’s Mapai district to prevent future floods, of the kind which have caused death and damage in Gaza and Maputo provinces in the last month. A ballpark figure of $3bn has been suggested for the cost.
Southern Mozambique could do with a new dam. Demand for water in the Greater Maputo area, which includes the city of Matola and the districts surrounding the city of Maputo, is expected to exceed supply in about 2030. That was why the government planned a new dam at Moamba Major in Maputo province, to create a reservoir to supply the additional water. This project was under construction when it came to a halt in 2016-17, as the Brazilian contractor, Andrade Gutierrez, was hit by the “lava jato” corruption scandal and the financing was withdrawn. Despite discussions about restarting the project, nothing has been done, and the clock is ticking.
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A dam at Mapai, on the other hand, is in the wrong place to supply Greater Maputo. Moreover, the dam would have to be located in a wide valley, requiring more extensive engineering work to contain the water, and the sandy soil is too absorbent. The idea of building a dam here is highly controversial, and the inevitable backlash risks distracting the government.
