Story by Tawanda Mazhangara
MASHONALAND EAST – THE construction of the Kunzvi Dam is progressing steadily, with the government reaffirming its commitment to completing the flagship project within the year, in line with national development priorities under Vision 2030.
Currently, the contractor is undertaking excavation of the spillway foundation and building new houses for seven families who are being relocated to pave the way for dam infrastructure.
“At present, the project is 60 % complete. We are focused on spillway excavations and the construction of homes for the affected households,” resident engineer with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), Engineer Davison Madondo said.
This Wednesday, Special Advisor to the President, Dr Joram Gumbo, toured the project site alongside Mashonaland East Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mr Tavabarira Kutamahufa, and other government stakeholders.
Dr Gumbo expressed satisfaction with the pace of implementation, emphasising the dam’s potential to transform livelihoods and ensure water security for both Mashonaland East and Harare Metropolitan Province.
“This dam is of critical importance not only to Goromonzi and Murehwa but on the national scale. It will provide opportunities through activities such as agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and most crucially clean water for Harare, Epworth, and other surrounding suburbs. It is a project that will uplift the lives of people in this area as it will have more than 500 hectares of irrigation, which resonates very well with Vision 2030,” he said.
“The dam is among the largest infrastructure projects currently underway in the province since the commissioning of Muchekeranwa and Chivhu Dams, and is expected to bring broad economic and social benefits, particularly through irrigation schemes and fisheries,” Mashonaland East Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Tavabarira Kutamahufa said.
Local leadership also welcomed the project, calling on authorities to expedite the relocation process.
“We are grateful to the government for this transformative project and urge for the speedy relocation of affected farmers so that work may proceed without delay,” Chairperson of the Kunzvi Dam Committee, Mr Mathew Mujahwe said.
The development of water infrastructure remains a key pillar of the Second Republic’s agenda, with numerous dams either completed or under construction nationwide to enhance food security, rural development, and climate resilience.
