The government is building a new 98 million cubic metre Ziminya dam in Nkayi district, making it Matabeleland’s third large water body under development. Gwayi-Shangani Dam in Matabeleland North and Tuli-Manyange Dam in Matabelela Ziminya dam nd South are both being built by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa). The Gwayi-Shangani Dam’s completion would alleviate Bulawayo’s persistent water problems while also creating a greenbelt in the region.
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The Ziminya dam, which has a 650 million cubic meter capacity, is part of the National Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project, which was initially proposed in 1912. The Tuli-Manyange Dam has a 35 million cubic metre holding capacity, and irrigation systems are anticipated to be built nearby. The creation of additional water bodies is expected to aid in the transition away from rain-fed agriculture and provide water for irrigation and fishing to food-insecure areas. The country’s economy is mostly dependent on agriculture, with the sector accounting for most of its industrial production. Mrs Marjorie Munyonga, Zinwa’s corporate communications and marketing manager, said Treasury had set up $1,5 billion in the national budget to begin building the Ziminya Dam in Nkayi.
Commencement of the Ziminya Dam project
After the contractor recently went on-site and began preliminary work like surveys, the building of the Ziminya Dam has officially begun. The 98 million cubic metre dam, the Nkayi Water Treatment Plant, and the building of an irrigation network are all part of the project. Mrs Munyonga stated that a 1 250 acre irrigation project would be undertaken in the region after the project is done, providing residents with a dependable water source. Munyonga believes that this will help alter livelihoods in Nkayi and increase food security in the neighbouring areas.
Cde Stars Mathe, a member of the Nkayi South National Assembly, said the development of the Ziminya Dam will transform the landscape of the Nkayi area. She stated that the contractor hires locals. Some of them were hired during the soil testing phase, and more are likely to be hired by the end of the week, particularly from towns near the dam. This is a substantial dam, according to Cde Mathe, and she believes it will help local economic growth. According to Cde Mathe, the dam would improve food security once it is completed.
Communities surrounding the dam will see irrigation improvements begin. The wards in the region will also have access to clean water, and fishing programs will begin. Cde Mathe further indicated that nutritious gardens will be established there, implying that the construction of the Ziminya Dam will bring tremendous growth to the Nkayi District, which is now marginalized. As part of its corporate social responsibility, the contractor has begun digging boreholes in schools and has vowed to drill more boreholes in the community.
