National

Mnangagwa commissions Bubi-Lupane Dam water supply station

Published

4 years ago

September 27, 2021

BY DAVID OCHIENG MBEWA

President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday commissioned a water supply station at the Bubi-Lupane Dam in Matabeleland North province as the government looks to address challenges in accessing clean and safe water.

According to a statement from the presidency, the Lupane Water Supply Station has an installed capacity of 115 million litres and will improve the supply for Lupane area from seven million litres per month in turn satisfying the current demand of 23 million litres per month.

The Bubi-Lupane dam, which was commissioned in 2012, supplies water to Lupane Centre and surrounding villages.

The supply station, the statement added, will also provide the Lupane State University with all its water needs.

Zimbabwe has faced occasional nationwide water crises due to poor rains and recurring droughts.

The country’s second largest city, Bulawayo, was particularly hard hit last year with the search for clean water becoming a daily struggle.

With that in mind, Mnangagwa added that the government expects to complete the Gwayi-Shangani Dam in Hwange District by December this year to “end water problems in Bulawayo.”

Mnangagwa also commissioned the Bubi-Lupane Irrigation Scheme, which has two crops farmed annually: maize and wheat.

The scheme currently has 180 hectares under wheat and is expected by the end of next year to expand its area to 700 hectares.

The news of future expectations of more wheat being farmed comes in the wake of Zimbabwean authorities predicting the country will achieve wheat self-sufficiency this agricultural season for the first time in more than a decade.

Zimbabwe’s government is expecting to harvest 300,000 tonnes of wheat this agricultural season in addition to the 70,000 tonnes already in stock, while the country needs about 360,000 tonnes of wheat annually to meet its demand.

More than 66,000 hectares of land were used to farm wheat this season, according to local media, representing the third-highest portion of land to farm wheat since 1980. – CGTN

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

1 week ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) locomotive suffered significant damage after catching fire while transporting export coal to Zambi. The incident occurred between Kalala and Matetsi sidings, resulting in the explosion of the locomotive’s fuel tanks.

According to the NRZ press statement on Monday, “A National Railways of Zimbabwe locomotive suffered some damages after it caught fire this afternoon while transporting export coal to Zambia.” Fortunately, the crew members on board managed to escape unharmed.

The NRZ responded swiftly to the incident, dispatching a rescue train with crews to the site. The team successfully extinguished the fire, preventing further damage. However, the locomotive itself sustained considerable damage.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, with investigations currently underway. “Investigations are already underway to establish the cause of the fire and the amount of damage to the locomotive,” the NRZ statement read.

National

Ranger killed by elephant in Kariba

Published

1 month ago

March 14, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A 62-year-old ranger, Josphat Mandishara, was tragically killed by an elephant in Kariba yesterday.

Mandishara, who worked for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), was on patrol in the Gatche-gatche area with fellow rangers and police officers.

At around 10 pm, Mandishara returned to the harbor where their boat was docked, and that’s when he encountered the elephant. The elephant charged at him, causing fatal injuries. His colleagues were nearby, resupplying at the Gatche-gatche Irrigation Scheme.

Mandishara’s body was taken to Kariba District Hospital for a post-mortem, and the incident was reported to the police.

ZimParks has sent a team to manage the problem elephant and prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Director General of ZimParks, Prof. Edson Gandiwa, and his team have sent condolences to Mandishara’s family, friends, and colleagues. Mandishara will be remembered for his dedication to wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe.

National

ZIMRA customs officer appears in court for criminal abuse of office

Published

3 months ago

February 3, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) customs officer, Phillip Kuvenga, has been accused of criminal abuse of office for allegedly assisting in the importation of banned motor vehicles.

Kuvenga, 28, who is stationed at Victoria Falls, allegedly received documents from clients, completed valuation sheets, and carried out the valuation process. However, he is accused of endorsing different chassis numbers to deceive his supervisors during the validation and approval process.

After obtaining approval, Kuvenga would capture the correct chassis numbers in the ASYCUDA World System. He would then alter or replace the documents submitted earlier to his supervisors.

The offense came to light when a motor vehicle that had not yet arrived in Zimbabwe was found to have been already registered. A thorough check by ZIMRA led to Kuvenga’s arrest.

Kuvenga appeared in court on February 1, where he was denied bail by Magistrate Gift Manyka. He is expected to appear in court again today for another bail hearing.