adminLeonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
PEOPLE of Matabeleland North have been challenged to start projects to utilise water from the Bubi-Lupane Dam which is lying idle.
The dam, situated less than 5km from provincial capital, Lupane, is the largest in Matabeleland North. It is viewed as the panacea to water problems, both domestic and irrigation, at Lupane Growth Point and surrounding areas.
The water has not been used profitably since the commissioning of the dam more than two years ago.
Engineer Zachariah Mukarakate whose company, Multiforce, finished constructing the dam in 2010, said people from the province have not taken the initiative to start projects such as gardening or fisheries on the 40 million cubic-metre capacity dam.
He challenged villagers to start projects that will make them self-reliant, in line with Zim-Asset. Multiforce is now building a water purification plant after which the growth point would start drawing domestic water, but it is the underutilisation of the dam that is worrying the contractor who feels the water is being wasted as the dam is more than 95 percent full.
“The dam is 100 percent complete as everybody knows that it was commissioned two years ago and at the moment it is 95 percent full,” said Eng Mukarakate.
“The problem is that nobody is using it except for a women’s chicken project and construction work which do not consume much water. This is the biggest dam in Matabeleland North and should be used for domestic and irrigation purposes. Really there’s need for the Department of Irrigation to come up and encourage people to start irrigation projects to utilise the water.”
Eng Mukarakate said the water works was 85 percent complete and expected to commission it in November.
“People should organise themselves into groups and start fishing or gardening projects because here is free water provided by the government.
“NGOs should also come up and help villagers around to form gardening projects. We cannot continue importing vegetables from South Africa and Zambia when we have large volumes of water lying idle,” added Eng Mukarakate.
Most of the farm produce consumed in Matabeleland North comes from Umguza, Bulawayo and Zambia.
Eng Mukarakate argued irrigation projects, besides stopping over-reliance on imports, would provide employment as provided for in the economic blueprint.
“If the dam was in China, government could be running battles with farmers stealing water for rice irrigation. We can’t continue saying unemployment is high when we let resources lie unused. The dam is big and has a nice view such that we can even build a recreational place with chalets as a stop over to tourists travelling to Victoria Falls,” said Eng Mukarakate.
Lupane currently relies on borehole water and with the Lupane State University and other government projects taking shape, self-sustaining developmental projects would help develop the area.
Online Reporter