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ENVIRONMENT, Water and Climate Minister Saviour Kasukuwere says water supply has significantly improved in Bulawayo, adding that Government remains committed to seeing the completion of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam to ensure stable water supplies despite funding challenges.Speaking at a cocktail in Bulawayo last Thursday evening, Minister Kasukuwere said the water situation was very bad when he took the office late last year but has significantly improved.

Minister Kasukuwere said about $90 million is required for the completion of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam, whose construction has been halted due to the lack of funds.
He said once completed, water from the Gwayi-Shangani Dam should help industries and irrigation projects in nearby areas so that they boost their food security.

The Gwayi-Shangani Dam is an important component of the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project (MZWP).

The minister said the Gwayi-Shangani Dam remains Government’s “most important proposed source of water” for Bulawayo. He said there was no better alternative than the Gwayi-Shangani Dam.

“For now, Bulawayo has reasonable water suppliers, but we believe in the long-term we need to ensure the Gwayi-Shangani Dam is built to give Bulawayo sufficient water resources that will also be commensurate to any development activity that would be undertaken in Bulawayo,” he said.

MZWP is expected to be implemented in phases, with the first being the completion of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam, which would receive water from the Zambezi River.

The second phase would see the construction of a pipeline from Gwayi-Shangani Dam to a reservoir in Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb while the third and final phase would be the construction of a 245km pipeline from the Zambezi River to the Gwayi-Shangani Dam. — FinX.