Mnangagwa commissions Chivhu Dam

IN SPITE of the evil machinations of the country's detractors who are fighting Zanu-PF through asymmetrical warfare, the ruling party continues to deliver on its promises and today President Mnangagwa will commission Chivhu dam in Mashonaland East province to add to the list of milestone projects successfully implemented by the Second Republic.

Since coming to power, the President has been implementing game-changing projects in every part of the country through development that leaves no one and no place behind.

A whopping US$1 billion has been set aside for the construction of 12 high-impact dams with the flagship being the Lake Gwayi-Shangani in Matebeleland North province, which is now 70 percent complete, a project mooted in 1912 but that came to fruition under the Second Republic.

Other major dams under construction are Semwa Dam in Rushinga, Ziminya Dam in Nkayi, Matebeleland North, Vungu Dam in Silobela, Midlands, while Muchekeranwa Dam near Marondera has since been completed.

Another dam, Kunzvi, that was planned for many years, also took off at the inception of the Second Republic.

And today—the President will commission Chivhu dam—that will like other major dams accelerate rural development and mordenisation, provide fisheries, climate proof agriculture and also produce electricity that will feed into the national grid.

Addressing the Politburo in Harare on Tuesday, President Mnangagwa emphasised that the ruling party and Zimbabweans in general should not be distracted by idle talk and negativity coming from the country's detractors as the goal remains to transform the country through lifting the majority into prosperity.

"Zanu-PF is a party about results and hope. We are delivering on our promises as set out in our Manifesto and National Development Strategy. Our ongoing development, modernisation and industrialisation agenda will continue to be anchored on our utilisation of domestic resources".

That use of domestic resources—with no access to lines of credit as a result of the illegal Western economic sanctions—has resulted in the country achieving food security and projects like Chivhu dam are just some among many.

"We are food secure and our strategic reserves have sufficient grain to feed the nation.

"This is a result of our responsive measures to increase production and productivity, incomes as well as livelihoods of our communities.

"We take pride in the interventions we are making in the agriculture sector. These include the climate proofed Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme, winter wheat production, dam construction and the attendant development of irrigation schemes. I am pleased that on Thursday, I will be commissioning Chivhu Dam, which is set to see the development of a 120-hectare irrigation scheme," said the President.

In 2020, the country had 176 000ha of crops under irrigation and today just under 200 000ha is now under irrigation with the target being to have 350 000ha under irrigation by 2025.

 The Second Republic, through the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa), has a target to build 15 high impact dams in line with it's vision to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle income economy by 2030.

For instance, Lake Gwayi-Shangani will hold 691 million cubic litres of water to facilitate irrigation in the surrounding areas when completed this year, as well as give Bulawayo adequate water for expansion.

Some of the larger dams can supply clean energy, at least enough to provide for their pumping needs and the local communities.

The dams highlight the Government's investment in strategic water bodies around the country. It is envisaged that construction of new water bodies will help support the switch from rain-fed agriculture and help food-insecure communities through provision of water for both irrigation and fisheries.

In another successful story, Muchekeranwa Dam has turned the Marondera area into a greenbelt as local farmers and institutions of higher learning are producing crops all year round.

Ziminya Dam in Nkayi, Matebeleland North, which will have a hydro power station on site, was mooted 24 years ago but no work had been done since the conception of the project. Work only started under the Second Republic.

Semwa Dam in Rushinga will provide 12 000 hectares for irrigation and a small hydro power plant for power supply to Rushinga and Chimhanda.

In Centenary, Mashonaland Central, Silverstroom Dam will provide irrigation and potable water in the area and Muzarabani districts. Other projects in Mashonaland Central include Dande and Bindura Dams.