By Zivaishe Dudzo

Speaking to ZANU PF HQ Department for Information and Publicity in Matabeleland North recently, Assistant resident Engineer Lucio Chayeruka said the construction of Gwayi Shangani Dam was still in progress. 

“As for the project we are at 70.2% complete, construction is in progress. On the dam wall we are now at 39 metres out of the 72 metre wall height of the dam. The primary use of the dam is to supply portable water to the city of Bulawayo. We are in the process of constructing three pump stations, in terms of excavation and clearing, we have cleared more than 150 km of the pipe line towards Bulawayo,” he said.  

Engineer Chayeruka also said the Dam was going to be a tourist attraction and that locals were going to benefit from fisheries.

“We are going to see a major boost in tourism around the area, locals are going to benefit from fisheries and from power generation. Currently we are concentrating on the construction of a mini hydro power station which is going to be generating about 10 megawatts of power to be fed in to the national grid,” said the Engineer. 

Chayeruka also said the Dam was going to be the third largest water body in the country after lake Mutirikwi and Tokwe Mukosi.

“The massive structure a colossal under taking is going to impound 691 000 000 cubic litres of water which will stand as the third largest inland water body in the country. Gwayi-Shangani dam is being constructed on the confluence of Gwayi and Shangani rivers. It is a very huge project that is going to transform the country economically and socially,” he said.