KEY POINTS
- Zimbabwe’s 2025 budget allocates ZiG 1 billion to Gwayi-Shangani Dam construction and pipeline to Bulawayo.
- The dam’s completion will address water shortages and support agriculture and industry in Matabeleland North.
- Gwayi-Shangani has reached 72% completion, with ZiG 48 million needed to finalize construction in early 2025.
Zimbabwe’s Gwayi-Shangani Dam project, located in Matabeleland North, is set to resume construction after receiving a ZiG 1 billion allocation in the 2025 national budget.
The dam, a flagship infrastructure project under Zimbabwe’s Second Republic, has reached 72 percent completion but faced delays due to constrained fiscal space.
Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube unveiled the funding allocation during the budget presentation, highlighting the government’s commitment to addressing the nation’s water supply challenges.
Of the allocated funds, ZiG 700 million will be directed towards the dam’s construction, while ZiG 282 million is earmarked for a critical pipeline to Bulawayo.
Government prioritizes water infrastructure
Minister Ncube emphasized that the 2025 budget aligns with the Public Sector Investment Plan, prioritizing water, sanitation, and hygiene programs.
These include the completion of major dams, such as Gwayi-Shangani and Kunzvi, and associated conveyancing infrastructure to urban centers like Bulawayo and Harare, both grappling with persistent water shortages.
“Infrastructure development in water and sanitation is key to sustaining livelihoods and driving national progress,” Ncube said, reaffirming the importance of such investments in the country’s broader developmental agenda.
Provincial leaders welcome funding
Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo expressed optimism about the renewed focus on the Gwayi-Shangani project. He noted that the funding allocation demonstrates the government’s dedication to improving livelihoods and fulfilling its promises under President Mnangagwa’s administration.
“We are excited that the minister has allocated special funds for this life-changing project,” Moyo said. “We are confident that by the first or second quarter of 2025, construction work will be wrapped up, provided funds are disbursed promptly.”
Moyo also underscored the dam’s transformative potential, saying it would significantly impact communities by improving water access and supporting agricultural initiatives.
Path to completion
The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has been working to accelerate progress on the project. In October, Engineer Takudza Makwangudze, Zinwa’s director for engineering and hydrological services, informed the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development that only ZiG 48 million was required to finalize the dam’s construction in 2025.
Once completed, the Gwayi-Shangani Dam will provide a reliable water source for Bulawayo and surrounding regions, mitigating chronic water shortages and bolstering agriculture and industry.
The renewed funding is a testament to the government’s commitment to infrastructure-led growth, particularly in water supply schemes critical to Zimbabwe’s sustainable development.
