SYDNEY MUBAIWA
MASVINGO- ZANU-PF Secretary General and Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda has expressed dismay over the failure and delays in tapping into the potential of Lake Tugwi Mukosi which has been lying idle since its completion in 2017.
The 1.8billion cubic metres dam has been lying idle for close to 9 years after its commissioning with no meaningful developmental projects taking place despite the availability of a master plan.
Addressing a Zanu-PF Masvingo Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting at Robert Mugabe School of Education, Mudenda said it is the duty of the provincial executive to transform the economic fortunes of the province.
“Tugwi-Mukosi has more than nine years but you don’t know how many hectares can be put under irrigation.
“There is plenty of water which is not being used. Did you sit down with your resident minister to discuss this issue. Ma plots achaitwa ikoko, do you have the idea of what is taking place there.
“Water is a mode of production. The dam is on its full capacity but we are doing nothing with the water. There is land, there is water, our party constitution allows us to take charge of these resources. You can have fishing and other developments there, but nothing is being done. There should be good roads linking the dam, an aerodrome and you can generate income by attracting tourists. It shows there is poor administration,” he said.
He said party officials together with related government departments should have done some forward planning on how the national reservoir was to be exploited for irrigation purposes to empower communities.
“We want the leadership to be empowered. You should be troubling the party’s Treasure General Patrick Chinamasa so that you get money, those who want to undertake projects can start,” he said.
Besides having potential to irrigate more than 25 000 hectares and turning arid parts of southern Masvingo into a potential greenbelt, Tugwi-Mukosi can be a major tourist attraction and home to hotels and casinos that can sustain a vibrant tourism industry.
The dam could also sustain a 15megawatt mini-hydro power plant and a lucrative fisheries industry.
