Cabinet wants more resources mobilized for Gwayi-Shangani Dam

Harare (New Ziana) -Cabinet has directed the mobilization of more resources for the Gwayi-Shangani Dam to be completed in view of its importance in ending water woes that the Bulawayo Metropolitan and Matabeleland provinces face.

The directive was made after Cabinet received a report on the project from Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka as part of reports on progress made as at day 50 in the implementation of priority projects for the first 100-Day Cycle for 2023.

Construction of the 650 million cubic meter water reserviour set to become the country’s largest water body in Matabeleland North and third largest in the country has reached 70.2 percent.

Briefing the media at the end of a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Cabinet wanted more resources availed for the project to expedite completion of construction works.

The dam, which sits about 6.5 km from the confluence of the Gwayi and Shangani Rivers, has missed many deadlines but Dr Masuka gave assurances that it would be ready for the 2023-24 summer cropping season.

Being built by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) through a Chinese contractor, China Water and Electric Corporation, the dam is part of a century old National Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project (NMZWP).

It is expected to guarantee the country’s second largest city, Bulawayo, enough water supplies for the next 80 years while weaning off some of its supply dams in Matabeleland South for development projects in that province.

Other projects that the Ministry is implementing include completing the electrification and installation of centre pivots covering 100 hectares of the 150 ha Madhodha Irrigation Scheme in Mashonaland West, development of 69 ha of irrigation at Chitemene Irrigation Scheme in Manicaland and 50 ha out of the targeted 72 ha of the Musikavanhu B2 Irrigation Scheme in the same province, where two boreholes were sunk.
Construction of Chivhu Dam in Mashonaland East province has reached 98.2 percent while the development of 120 ha of irrigable land is 90 percent complete.

Elsewhere, 115 out of the targeted 120 dip tanks have been rehabilitated across all rural provinces under the Accelerated Dip Tank Rehabilitation Program, 200 000 sweet potato vines distributed under the Sweet Potato Vine Production Program, and 159 787 chicks distributed under the Presidential Poultry Scheme.

The reverse engineering for a traditional grains thresher was successfully carried out and testing of the prototype is underway, 121 out of the targeted 200 tractors were distributed under the Belarus Mechanisation Facility (Phase 2), at least 89 farms were surveyed while 824 A1 permits were issued.

New Ziana