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Walter Nyamukondiwa Kariba Bureau
Turbines turned endlessly, visitors trooped feverishly to experience its man-made and natural beauty while the pillars for the reconfiguration of this land’s development trajectory were laid.
The Covid-19 pandemic could not blight its allure.
Far and wide they came.
Is it not Kariba’s trait?
Graders, rollers and dozers groaned for the better part of the year to spruce up the land’s roads.
Structures were built to provide solutions to problems that had festered for many years, giving cheers to communities’ long cherished desires.
Makeshift structures were pulled down to make way for modern brick schools in the North Western outpost.
It has been a progressive year.
The exertions to uplift Kariba’s stature were occasionally drowned by wails triggered by animal induced loss.
Human and wildlife conflict persisted throughout the year as several people lost their lives or were maimed.
More than 15 people were killed by crocodiles, elephants and lions in one of the bloodiest years in the district.
Crocodiles killed more people in the district with most people being attacked while fishing in Lake Kariba especially in areas such as Gache Gache’s Macheni Bay, Lake Harvest, Lomagundi, Chawara and Charara harbours.
In man’s quest for fish, several people drowned after boats capsized in developments attributed to overloading and bad weather.
About 12 people died in boat mishaps during the course of the year.
Authorities from the Inland Waters Control have targeted to increase patrols through acquiring boats and modern surveillance equipment.
It is the year when Mola was cut off from the rest of the country following heavy rains which hit the area causing landslides that swept part of the road.
Government through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development and Nyaminyami RDC moved in to restore the road connectivity.
The storms destroyed crops and livestock.
This waning 2021 saw Government taking the bold steps to tip the tide of development towards the remote part of Nyaminyami district.
Siakobvu’s status as the axis of development in Kariba District was cemented by the fast paced construction of the Composite Government Complex.
This complex is expected to house all Government offices in the district, bringing services such as national registration closer to the people.
Government workers operating from Kariba urban were put on notice that they needed to prepare for relocation to Siakobvu.
Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Mary Mliswa-Chikoka said Siakobvu was the next big thing in the province.
The project is expected to be completed in 2022 as Government provides a steady stream of funds.
By size and availability of office space, the complex is incomparable to any in the district.
From the fragmented offices strewn all over Kariba, the Siakobvu Government Complex provides a one-stop centre for all Government services to the citizenry.
Government is charting a new trajectory for the transformation of the district.
To affirm this position, one of the major challenges stunting development in the area has been a bad road network which is now being addressed through the Karoi-Binga Road project.
The road is being tarred from Chivakanenyama towards Siakobvu and Binga.
It is now inching towards Magororo Business Centre where the Kariba-Charara-Makande Road connects to the main road.
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development announced recently that it would adopt the feeder road for rehabilitation as it cuts the distance to Siakobvu from Kariba by 158kms.
To speed up work on the road, which has so far covered about 20km, Government will have three teams, one working from Karoi towards Siakobvu, another coming from Siakobvu with the third starting from Binga.
Nyaminyami Rural District Council has started tarring roads around the business centre and identified land for residential, industrial and recreational purposes in anticipation of the new developments.
The infrastructure development thrust saw Gache Gache, Majazo, Munamata, Kauzhumba, Kadziro, Nabale and Nyamupandu primary and secondary schools having classroom blocks and teachers’ houses being built.
Others had boreholes drilled.
Government has funded the projects through Devolution Funds, Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP), the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme and Zinara while Nyaminyami RDC also financed some projects.
The heavens opened up in the 2020/21 season resulting in steady water inflows into Lake Kariba which promoted stable power generation throughout the year.
This prompted the Zambezi River Authority to increase water allocation for power generation to the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) and Zesco from Zambia.
The turbines continued to turn, churning out electricity to ameliorate shortages caused by breakdowns at Hwange and ongoing upgrading works.
During the course of the year, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission swooped on Kariba Municipality resulting in three top officials being arrested and facing abuse of office charges.
These include town clerk Mr Richard Kamhoti, housing director Mr Godfrey Magijani and finance director Mr Saratiere Chitenhe.
The anti-corruption watchdog is still circling around the town amid reports that there could be more cases lined up for the officials.
Allegations against the three involve improper procurement of vehicles and registration into their names.
Another allegation is that they abused their positions in buying council houses.
Away from the legal woes, the Municipality started construction of a 200-metre pipeline into Lake Kariba to guarantee water intake even when levels recede at Breezes Water Intake.
It was a year when roads and drainage systems were rehabilitated while in some cases known dust roads were tarred under the ERRP2.
Some drains, especially along Lake Drive, which had been covered by debris for years owing to neglect got attention to the surprise of residents.
It was a year when development took centre stage.
It is the year when tourism weathered the storm of Covid-19 restrictions.
The largest houseboat in Lake Kariba exchanged hands with Zambezi Safaris and Cruises acquiring the behemoth which can easily accommodate 50 people.
New activities were introduced including para-sailing and quad biking which have proved to be hits with both local and international tourists.
Accommodation occupancy remained decent during the course of the year with big hotels such Caribbea Bay and Resort recording full bookings in the last quarter of the year.
Online Reporter