WATCH: Information Minister Dr Muswere hails Gwayi-Shangani as game-changer for water and power

THE Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere, has described the Gwayi-Shangani Lake, at 74 percent completion, as an engineering marvel.

The dam is aimed at solving Bulawayo’s chronic water shortages. It is set to become Zimbabwe’s third-largest inland dam, featuring a 256 km pipeline to Bulawayo and a 10 MW hydro-power station.

A 10 000-hectare green belt is planned along the pipeline to enhance food security and create jobs.

The project is considered a key component of the National Development Agenda, transforming water supply and fostering regional economic growth.

The Minister was speaking during a media tour of Matabeleland North’s major and high-impact projects on Friday.

“This is an engineering marvel, given the fact that this dam was pegged in 1912, but since then, there was no brick laid within this confluence until the coming in of the Second Republic,” said Dr Muswere.

He said the project was not only a success story and one of the achievements registered under the leadership of President Mnangagwa, but also an engineering feat in terms of the framework provided, adding that the dam, on its own, becomes central in the integrated segmentation of the economy, as it will provide both industrial and domestic water for utilisation.

“Part of the water will be pumped to Bulawayo, and in terms of the new dispensation framework, every dam should support tourism, clean water and be able to generate electricity,” said Dr Muswere.