Infrastructure projects gather pace

Source: Infrastructure projects gather pace | The Herald

Minister Mutsvangwa

Africa Moyo

Deputy News Editor

National and provincial flagship projects being implemented across the country are moving forward despite some delays arising from Covid-19 lockdowns with the largest, Lake Gwayi-Shangani that will spur irrigation projects and ensure adequate water supply in Bulawayo, now 40 percent complete.

When completed, the dam will impound the third largest interior lake in Zimbabwe and with the pipeline across most of Matabeleland North will finally sort out Bulawayo’s severe water shortages, freeing the city of the critical constraint to resuming rapid growth, as well as supplying water for a swathe of Matabeleland North communities from Hwange going south.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa on Tuesday said Cabinet received and noted the monitoring visit report on selected 7th 100-Day Cycle and Provincial Flagship Projects in Masvingo, Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and Midlands provinces presented by the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Monitoring Implementation of Government Programmes, Dr Joram Gumbo.

“The purpose of the visit was to appreciate progress as well as the challenges that affect project implementation,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

She said materials for the completion of a modern, spacious women’s hostel at Roger Howman Training Centre in Masvingo Urban are now on site so the 38-bed hostel will be completed. The centre has trained 1 795 trainees, with 119 trained this year.

In Mwenezi, Masvingo Province, there is work on the Amarula Processing Plant, a project meant to value-add and commercialise the indigenous African Mapfura fruit through the production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, edible fruits and oil for cosmetics. This will create 150 jobs.

In Matabeleland South, the construction of the $2,2 billion Tuli-Manyange Dam in Galanyemba communal area, is progressing well. The construction created 140 local jobs and will see over 15 000 hectares of land being put under irrigation. Communities will benefit through irrigation for nutritional gardens, fisheries and livestock watering.

The Old Bulawayo Monument (Ko Bulawayo) is being re-developed to preserve heritage and indigenous cultural systems, having been gutted by fire in 2010.

In Matabeleland North, Gariya Dam is being reconstructed after the dam wall was breached in 2017. The dam was built in 1953 mainly for water conservation purposes, to supply water for human use as well as to domestic and wild animals.

Minister Mutsvangwa said the Anju Prison Farm in Matabeleland North was producing crops and livestock for prison consumption and for sale.

Other projects include the Unki Mine De-bottlenecking project in the Midlands Province, some of whose benefits are increased employment opportunities and enhanced foreign currency generation.

In Midlands again, there is the upgrading of the Budiriro Primary Satellite School which has been transformed into a modern school from pole and dagga structures. The construction of the school has considerably reduced distances being travelled by school children.

Construction of Gunguhwe Bridge in Gokwe is on-going. The corrugated steel plate bridge links Gokwe North and Gokwe South districts and its completion will provide a useful link that will be used by farmers, students and other travellers.