Construction of Kunzvi and Gwayi Shangani dams is being speeded up as Government mobilises resources to complete the dams this year.
Kunzvi Dam is now 52 percent complete while Lake Gwayi Shangani stands at 72 percent.
The two dams will help alleviate water challenges in their areas and in particular ensure that the major urban centres of Harare Metropolitan and Bulawayo Metropolitan are assured of supplies for industrial growth.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri said the two dams would improve water supplies in Harare and Bulawayo when completed, but both also have planned capacity for boosting irrigation.
"We anticipate that Gwayi Shangani will be complete this year and that is the focus. If resources permit, we should see the dam making an impact in the Matabeleland region so works are still ongoing. We should see more resources coming and obviously the aim is to ensure that we remain on course with the construction of Gwayi Shangani Dam not only for water availability but also for irrigation development around the area and also for supplying water into Bulawayo.
"Works at Kunzvi Dam are ongoing, and the dam, apart from supplying water to Harare, will provide water for irrigation to areas within its vicinity," he said. Lake Gwayi Shangani has a capacity of 691 million cubic litres of water.
Two months ago, Government injected US$5 million towards the construction of Kunzvi dam and Lake Gwayi Shangani so that the construction works are completed this year.
The Government, through the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa), is targeting to construct 15 high impact dams in line with the Second Republic's vision to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle income economy by 2030.
Most of these will be to expand irrigation significantly as the Government continues to bring more farmers into the climate-proofed irrigation sectors.
The project highlights the Government's investment in strategic water bodies around the country. It is envisaged that the construction of new water bodies will help support the switch from rain-fed agriculture and help food-insecure communities through the provision of water for both irrigation and fisheries.
