Kunzvi Dam to be completed this year – Govt

Zvamaida Murwira
Senior Reporter

Work on the construction of Kunzvi Dam, northeast of Harare is expected to be completed by the end of this year as it is now 46 percent as the Second Republic continues its determination to build high-impact water bodies, legislators have heard.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos said the Government will be stepping up dam construction as it seeks to contain the effects of climate change that has spawned subdued rainfall this year.

St Mary’s constituency MP, Mr Brighton Mazhindu had sought to get progress on Kunzvi and Muda dams in Chitungwiza during question time in the National Assembly last week.

“The House will be pleased to know that Kunzvi Dam is at 46 percent progress to completion and the Ministry is looking to complete the construction of the dam by December 2024. With respect to Muda Dam, the dam is ready for construction and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority is awaiting the disbursement of funds to begin construction,” said Deputy Minister Haritatos.

The US$109 million Kunzvi Dam is the first Harare water supply reservoir that is on the Manyame River and is on the opposite side of the metropolitan area from Morton Jaffray Water Works and Lakes Chivero and Manyame.

The dam, being constructed by Makomo Engineering (formerly Nanchang Engineering) will be able to serve the higher altitude areas furthest from the waterworks.

Besides ensuring supplies for north-east and eastern Harare, Chitungwiza and Ruwa will benefit from Kunzvi Dam situated on the confluence of the Nora and Nyaguwe rivers in Goromonzi district.

A lot of the existing bulk water infrastructure that the two towns should be using is already in place in eastern Kunzvi Dam which was planned decades ago but was continually postponed, mainly over financing and a false belief that the existing water sources were adequate.

Significant progress has been recorded on the construction during the last year as the Second Republic fulfils its promises towards turning the country into an upper middle-income economy by 2030 and in line with the National Development Strategy 1 and leaving no place behind in development.

Muda Dam is also expected to provide potable water to Chitungwiza and its surrounding areas.