LUPANE — Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday commissioned the Bubi-Lupane Dam, which is expected to hold 40 million cubic metres of water to supply Lupane town, the new Matabeleleland North capital.
The dam took nine years to complete due to lack of funding.
Tsvangirai also commissioned two primary schools, Mpofu and Madotsha which were relocated, to make way for the dam along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road.
“Lupane is a designated emerging capital city of Matabeleland North and the dam fulfilled the administrative necessity to establish the future economic hub in this province,” he said.
“You realise we have a high concentration of methane gas for energy generation and vast resources in timber, which all contribute to the economic progress of Matabeleland North and all these need water to operate.”
He said it was unfortunate that some of the villagers had been removed from their homesteads but it was necessary for development. “But I hear they have been compensated, rural development is a priority of government and nothing can be done without water,” Tsvangirai said.
Speaking at the same function, Water Resources Development minister Samuel Sipepa Nkomo said the completion of the dam was ranked high in the PM’s 100-Day Plan at the inception of the inclusive government.
“The growth of Lupane had been retarded by lack of water,” he said.
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In a speech read on her behalf by provincial administrator Latiso Dlamini, Matabeleland North governor Thokozile Mathuthu said the dam had come as a relief to residents of Lupane and surrounding areas as the Zimbabwe National Water Authority boreholes had been overwhelmed.
