$8 billion allocation for Lake Gwayi-Shangani

Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor

THE much-anticipated Lake Gwayi-Shangani and the 245-kilometre pipeline to Bulawayo is fast becoming a reality with an $8 billion package from the 2023 budget set aside for the completion of the project.

The project, which is now 69 percent complete, is viewed as the solution to Bulawayo and the region’s perennial water problems.

Presenting the 2023 National Budget on Thursday, Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube said they have allocated $6,3 billion for the construction of the 46-metre depth of the dam to reach full height of 72 metres, construction of outlet works, and the apron.

He said a further $2.7 billion will be allocated for the construction of two pump houses, and laying of 104 kilometres of pipeline.

“With regards to Gwayi-Shangani, the project is at 69 percent completion and the dam height is now at 31 metres out of the required 72 metres, whilst a total of 140 kilometres has been cleared for the pipeline, out of which nine kilometres have since been excavated with pipeline trenching in progress.

The project is now scheduled for commissioning during 2023.

“Besides addressing the water challenges for the City of Bulawayo, Gwayi-Shangani Dam will transform the lives of communities living along the 245-kilometre pipeline by creating an agriculture green belt from the dam site, to the City of Bulawayo,” said Prof Ncube.

He said the project would also include the construction of a hydro power station that would provide electricity to nearby rural communities including powering irrigation schemes. The pipeline is currently five percent complete.

Lake Gwayi-Shangani is a roller compacted concrete gravity dam, implying that it depends on its weight for stability. It will 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. Once completed, the dam should be transformative to the country’s Gross Domestic Product and contribute to national food security.

The Government has already identified 10 000 hectares of land to be put under irrigation along the pipeline. Communal irrigation schemes are being developed while commercial ones will follow along the pipeline from Lake Gwayi-Shangani to Bulawayo to spur rural development in five districts of Matabeleland North Province.

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister set aside $21.7 billion towards overall dam construction with targeted projects and allocations.

According to the breakdown, Semwa Dam in Mashonaland Central, will get $2.8 billion, Semwa Dam Mashonaland Central will get $2.1 billion, Tuli-Manyange Dam in Matabeleland South; $1.8 billion, Vungu Dam in Midlands; $1.4 billion, Ziminya Dam in Matabeleland North; $1.1 billion, Defe Dam will get $1 billion, Dande Dam, Mbada Dam both in Mashonaland Central and Muchekeranwa Pipeline for Harare East Water Augmentation will each be allocated $600 million while Bindura Dam in Mashonaland Central Province has been allocated $400 million.

“To ensure the utilisation of idle water bodies, such as Tugwi-Mukosi, Marovanyati, and Muchekeranwa dams, an amount of $55.3 billion has been set aside in the 2023 Budget for the development of irrigation infrastructure, fisheries and water conveyancing systems, among other interventions,” said Prof Ncube.

Prof Ncube further revealed that $5.3 billion will be channelled towards the drilling of boreholes in the rural communities, including schools. He said the budget allocation would also support the establishment of productive economic activities around water sources by rural communities through village gardens, a source of nutrition and commerce, in the context of the new rural development 8.0 paradigm.

“Provision of water for under-serviced communities, rural services centres, growth points and small towns under the Presidential Rural Development Programme has gained momentum following the capacitation of Zinwa and DDF with drilling rigs. Furthermore, an amount of ZW$2.1 billion will target the rehabilitation and upgrading of 17 existing water supply systems in small towns and growth points, to ensure the availability of clean and safe drinking water for the communities,” said Prof Ncube.