Calvin Manika
GOVERNMENT is prioritising the completion of key water bodies in the country because of their positive contribution to the overall performance of the economy, a senior government official has said.
Minister of Presidential Affairs and Monitoring the Implementation of Government Programmes Jorum Gumbo recently toured the Gwayi-Shangani Dam to asses construction progress.
Gumbo said his ministry focuses on tracking progress in the implementation of projects that contribute to the improvement of the livelihoods of the general populace with the aim of attaining an Upper Middle Income economy by the year 2030.
The projects are implemented by ministries, departments and other agencies under the auspices of the 100 Day Cycle programme.
“The treasury allocations are reflective of the determination by government to endure sustainable livelihoods for the people through addressing the water problems which have troubled this region for a long time,” said Gumbo.
“I am informed that the Gwayi Shangani Dam contract was awarded to China International Water and Electric Corporation way back in 2003, but the completion of the project has been delayed by inadequate funding which has led to many instances of construction stoppages,” said Gumbo.
The construction of the dam project which resumed in 2019 after years of inactivity is now at 40% completion, with the contractor confident of beating the December 2021 deadline for the first phase.
The Zambezi Times learnt that, the contractor has since 2018 been facing challenges including late payments against submitted claims and erratic power cuts which have impeded progress especially during the placement of concrete.
Gumbo however expressed joy that members of the local community are participating in the project through employment opportunities in various aspects of its implementation.
“Community participation promotes a strong sense of ownership for the project. The rapid development that we seek to achieve through the 100 Day Cycle programme can only be achieved if communities are allowed to actively participate in the projects as opposed to being passive beneficiaries.”
President Emmerson Mnangagwa in February this year committed to ensuring the completion of the project by December 2022 when he was commissioning the Epping Forest and ground breaking of the Gwayi – Shangani pipeline.
Once complete the multi-million dollar project is envisaged to end Bulawayo’s perennial water challenges while creating a greenbelt along its 240km path.
The dam will have a net holding capacity of 650 million cubic metres of water, which is 1, 8 times bigger than the combined capacity of Bulawayo’s present five supply dams.
The dam will be the third-largest man-made inland water body after Tugwi-Mukosi and Lake Mutirikwi.
