Mat-North Correspondent

Government says it has identified alternative land to timeously resettle villagers set to be displaced by the throw back of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam located in Hwange District, Matabeleland North Province (MNP).

The dam, with a capacity of 650 million cubic metres is being constructed by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) and a Chinese contractor at the confluence of Gwayi and Shangani Rivers, is set for completion by December 2021.

Upon completion, the dam is set to turn some parts of MNP into a green strap and end Bulawayo water challenges as plans are afoot to lay a 260km pipeline from the dam to the country’s second largest city.

Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Richard Moyo said Government was committed to complete all infrastructural projects in the country.

“We have identified land for 340 villagers who will be displaced by this dam project. The villagers will not be resettled far away from their current place of resident. They will be resettled in the same province in Hwange and Binga Districts,” Moyo said after touring the dam construction site.

“The resettlement process has started and we hope to complete it by August 2021 well ahead of the 2021/22 rainy season.”

Moyo said the affected villagers will also benefit from the dam.

“The displaced families and others within the proximity of the dam will have plots under irrigation and this will improve food security and livelihoods in general,” he said.

ZINWA representative, Eng Paul Dengu noted that construction works were going well and the project was now at 40 percent completion.

“We are certain that we will meet the December completion date as we are now working 24 hours a day. We have the capacity on the ground to complete the project,” Dengu said.

Work on the dam site mired in December, 2020 due to Covid-19 related challenges and only resumed in March, 2021.

Harare Post visited the construction site on Friday and witnessed construction workers on the job.