Tanzania: Armed forces to get prepaid water metres due to unpaid bills

Dar es Salaam. The deputy minister for Water, Mr Kundo Mathew, has said in Parliament that plans are afoot to install prepaid water metres in all armed forces and other public institutions to curb the huge backlogs of unpaid water bills.

Reacting to MPs’ concerns over unpaid water bills by armed forces and other government institutions amounting to more than Sh26 billion, Mr Mathew said installing prepaid water metres was President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s directive and was, hence, not negotiable.

“Prepaid metres will address several challenges, including water loss, allegations of inflated bills, unpaid water bills, and citizens' complaints on lack of participation in the metre reading exercise,” he told MPs on Friday, May 10, 2024, during the debate on the Water Budget for the fiscal year 2024/25.

Prepared metres, he noted, will also enable water utilities to make better use of their human resources.

It was Special Seats MP, Ester Bulaya, who raised the issue of mounting water bills owed to the armed forces, which she says undermines the ability of various water utilities to execute development projects.

Ms Bulaya (Chadema) said while the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF) have Sh12 billion outstanding, the Tanzania Prisons Services and the Tanzania Police Force have not paid Sh6 billion and Sh5.3 billion in water bills, respectively.

She named other government institutions with unpaid bills with their names in brackets as local government authorities (Sh1.5 billion), regional hospitals (Sh635 million), state lodges (Sh102 million), and the ministry of Livestock (Sh44 million).

“How will water authorities implement new water projects if the debts remain unpaid despite a commitment from the Minister of Finance?” questioned the legislator.

As she urged the armed forces to pay their bills, other MPs advised the government to install prepaid water metres.

Ms Margaret Sitta (Urambo MP-CCM) sought the government’s position on the issue as she suggested that prepaid metres be installed in all public institutions after they have cleared their bills.

“On top of that, the government doesn’t timely pay contractors implementing water projects, therefore inflating project costs, leading to extreme delays,” she said.

Mr Noah Mollel (Arumeru West MP-CCM) concurred with Ms Sitta on prepaid metres.

“The decision will increase revenue collection and leave those with unpaid bills without water service because most of them have been doing so intentionally,” he said.

In the budget, the ministry of Water is requesting the approval of Sh627.7 billion from MPs for the 2024/25 fiscal year.

The requested amount is Sh137 billion less as compared to Sh756.2 billion that was endorsed in the 2023/24 budget.

Unpaid contractors

The issue of unpaid contractors was also raised by MPs during the Water budget debate.

Mr Haji Makame Mlenge (Chwaka MP-CCM) said contractors should be paid before the end of the 2023/24 fiscal year for the water projects to be seamlessly implemented.

“The payment will financially empower the ministry to work on both old and new water projects aimed at realising the goal to supply clean and safe water by 85 percent and 95 percent in rural and urban Tanzania before 2025, respectively,” he said.

Mr Charles Mwijage (Muleba North MP-CCM) also urged the government to pay the over Sh300 billion owed to contractors before June 2024 for smooth implementation of water projects.

MPs’ concerns over unpaid contractors prompted the minister, Mr Jumaa Aweso, to make quick consultations with his Finance counterpart, Dr Mwigulu Nchemba, on Friday, May 10, which led to an immediate disbursement of Sh68 billion as payment to contractors.

“Honourable Speaker, after legislators’ concerns, we consulted the Finance Minister, who has committed Sh68 million immediately,” he said.

He added' “As I’m speaking, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary has told me that the money has been disbursed already.”

He challenged contractors to use the payment as an incentive to increase the speed of implementation of the projects.

“There is no need for regional and district water engineers to further delay the disbursement when the funds reach their areas,” he cautioned.