Govt Misses Gwayi-Shangani Dam Completion Deadline, Again
The government has yet again missed its December 2023 deadline to complete the Gwayi-Shangani dam project, which is expected to address the City of Bulawayo’s perennial water challenges.
The Gwayi-Shangani dam, which is expected to be the third-largest inland water body in Zimbabwe, is part of the greater Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project (MZWP).
The Government had initially said the dam would have been completed in December 2022.
After missing the December 2022 deadline, Lands, Agriculture and Water Minister Anxious Masuka said the dam will be completed ahead of the 2023/24 summer cropping season.
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) secretary for administration Thembelani Dube told the Southern Eye that construction work at the dam slowed down after the August 2023 general elections and there are fears now that the project will never be completed. Said Dube:
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The completion of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam has of late been moving at a snail’s pace compared to the speed at which it was moving pre-2023 harmonised elections.
As Bulawayo residents, we pinned our hopes on the massive water body project to alleviate the perennial water challenges in Bulawayo.
We urge the government to pool all resources to expedite the completion of the decades-long outstanding project.
Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) spokesperson Marjorie Munyonga said the project was now 70.2% complete.
Bulawayo United Resident Association (BURA) chairperson Winos Dube urged residents to speak with one voice so that the Government shows seriousness about the MZWP. He said:
The government keeps on changing goalposts; we need seriousness.
We call upon people from this region to speak in one voice including the leadership to make sure that this project comes to fruition.
The 120 hours of water shedding that was introduced is very painful, especially looking at a situation where we have a cholera outbreak.
Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights coordinator Khumbulani Maphosa said:
As an organisation we are also worried about the compensation of the people of Lubimbi who are going to be affected, we do not want the people of Bulawayo to drink water at the expense of the Lubimbi and the Tonga villagers.
We want justice to prevail; this is the chance for the Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube to announce a proper compensation package.
Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo said:
Work is in progress. However, shortages of resources are affecting the pace of the project.
We are now targeting to complete the project by the first quarter of next year.
The dam is expected to have an ogee-shaped overflow, with a 200-metre-long spillway while the maximum depth of water will be 59 metres.
The construction of Lake Gwayi-Shangani is the first phase of the project which also involves the laying of a 245km pipeline from the dam to Bulawayo.
More: Pindula News
