BY STAFF REPORTER
The government has once again shifted the deadline for completion of construction of Lake Gwayi Shangani in Mabale, Hwange District to end of the year.
The project was first mooted in 1912 and successive governments failed to implement it as it missed several deadlines.
Last year the government had said the project would be completed mid-year before shifting the deadline to end of the year.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Anxious Masuka visited the project site on Tuesday to have an appreciation of progress made so far, and said it will be completed ahead of the 2023/24 summer cropping season.
“We are working hard to see what works need to be done and resources required so that the project is completed ahead of the 2023-2024 cropping season,” said Masuka.
The dam wall is now 20 metres high, against a target of over 40 metres.
This makes 73 percent towards completion of the wall.
“I am here to assess progress at Lake Gwayi Shangani and plan for 2023 as indicated by the President that this project must be completed this year. ” said Masuka.
The dam is at the confluence of Gwayi and Shangani rivers.
It is being constructed by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zimra) through a Chinese contractor, China Water and Electric Corporation and will have a capacity of 650 million cubic metres.
The dam project is part of a century-old National Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project (NMZWP),
It is touted as a permanent solution to Bulawayo water challenges.
The construction of Lake Gwayi-Shangani is the first phase of the project which also involves the laying of a 245 kilometers pipeline from the dam to Bulawayo.
According to Zimra officials, there will be water offtake sites to various irrigation projects for communities along the pipeline.