Communities excited over Tugwi-Mukosi
opportunities
COMMUNITIES in southern Masvingo have welcomed the approval of the long-awaited
Tugwi-Mukosi Combination Master Plan that is set to pave way for the development of
various projects at the dam and surrounding areas, particularly in the spheres of
agriculture and tourism.
The Combination Master Plan will guide and regulate developments around Zimbabwe’s
largest inland water body that was commissioned in 2017.
Tugwi-Mukosi has potential to irrigate over 40 000 hectares in both Chivi and Masvingo
districts that are bisected by the reservoir and also huge tracts of land in the Lowveld.
The US$250 million water body had largely remained underutilised with delays in
crafting the master plan stalling its full utilisation which is in sync with Government’s
thrust to transform Zimbabwe into an upper middle income economy by 2030.
The water body is central to the Second Republic’s plans to develop a vast greenbelt
straddling nearly 200 000ha in a move that will make Zimbabwe food secure and a net
exporter while the anticipated opening of agro-processing firms will create a
conurbation stretching from Chiredzi to Rutenga Town.
Cabinet recently approved the long-awaited development master plan for Tugwi-Mukosi
Dam and surrounding areas.
The Combination Master plan was drawn up by a consortium of local universities and it
seeks to guide and regulate development around the dam. It will be administered by the
Tugwi-Mukosi Combination Master Plan Authority.
The plan incorporates, among other things, harbours, holiday homes, golf courses,
nature and game viewing and irrigation schemes.
In an address after a Cabinet meeting mid this month, Information, Publicity and
Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, said the dam presented an
assortment of opportunities for development, particularly agriculture.
“Noting that the Tugwi-Mukosi Dam and its environs present excellent opportunities for
accelerated agricultural and irrigation development, Cabinet agreed that three new
irrigation schemes measuring 3 852ha will be established, with the Banga Irrigation
Scheme being expanded from 64ha to 195ha. Tugwi-Mukosi Dam alone has the potential
to irrigate about 40 000ha of land in the country’s Lowveld,” she said.
“An implementation agency will soon be established to co-ordinate development across
socio-economic sectors. Amenities such a0s schools, health centres, business nodes,
heritage sites, museums, hotels, lodges and training institutes will be developed over an
area spanning two rural district councils and extending upstream and downstream of the
Tugwi-Mukosi Dam. Other developments will incorporate harbours, holiday homes, golf
courses, nature and game viewing.
“A recreation park and conservation areas will be developed, while a fish processing
plant will be established near Tugwi-Mukosi. There will be a harbour and light house
control tower, while a power generation plant on the dam will provide communities and
businesses with clean energy and drive irrigation projects in support of household and
national food security.”
Banga irrigation scheme in Madzivire communal lands that measures 62ha, will be
expanded to 195ha as envisaged under the dam’s master plan.
The scheme presently covers wards 25, 26 and 28 of Chivi.
Secretary for the irrigation scheme, Mr Panganai Togara, told The Herald at the fledgling
scheme that approval of the Tugwi-Mukosi master plan was a welcome development.
“It’s a welcome development that communities in Chivi will start to accrue benefits from
Tugwi-Mukosi now that the master plan has been approved and our hope is that Banga
scheme will be expanded to bringing more beneficiaries to add onto the current 285
families who each own a 0,3ha plot,” said Mr Togara.
“Banga was established in 1972 and draws water from Banga River but with more water
coming from Tugwi-Mukosi it means the size of this scheme can be more than doubled
to benefit more people and ensure food security.”
Mrs Memory Moyo of Ruvengo Village in Madzivire said she was upbeat about irrigation
opportunities from Tugwi-Mukosi.
“All the plots at Banga were taken up by those who were the first to benefit and we are
looking forward to the expansion of this irrigation scheme so that we can also benefit
now that there is water for irrigation from Tugwi-Mukosi.
“This area (Chivi) is dry and we will change our lives by embracing irrigation,” said Mrs
Moyo.
Ruvengo Village head Mr Petros Chihamure says villagers in his area cannot wait for
Tugwi-Mukosi water to start flowing into their area.
“We have heard that Government is planning to expand the Banga Irrigation Scheme and
there is excitement here because that is long overdue and a welcome development as
more people will benefit and their lives will change,” said Mr Chihamure.
“Current beneficiaries at Banga have managed to change their lives by building decent
homes and sending their children to school using proceeds from the irrigation scheme.
“If this scheme is expanded it means more people will benefit. Banga beneficiaries make
a killing from selling things like green mealies, wheat, tomatoes and even vegetables.
They also sell their grain to GMB and people around here survive on this scheme for
food.”
Headman Gororo, Mr Mukomba Gororo, welcomed approval of the Tugwi-Mukosi master
plan but insisted that locals should benefit from the dam.
“It’s a welcome development that the master plan has been approved by the Government
but we also appeal to authorities to make sure that our children are not left out, our
people have to get a share of all developments that will take place.
“We hear they will build hotels here but our children should be prioritised for jobs. We
also want authorities to establish new irrigation schemes around the dam and expand
existing ones so that the water can also benefit our people.
“Our memories are still fresh thinking about our relatives who were displaced by this
dam and were relocated to Chingwizi. These people must also benefit,” said Headman
Gororo.
There is also concern among communities in both Chivi and Masvingo districts who are
settled in the dam’s buffer zone and will have to be relocated to pave way for a planned
game park.
About eight wards, four each in the two neighbouring districts, share a direct border with
Tugwi-Mukosi and villagers there will have to be relocated.
Preliminary estimates indicate about 2 500 families in both Masvingo and Chivi will be
affected by the game park.
“While we welcome approval of the Tugwi-Mukosi master plan, we want authorities to
clarify what will happen to some of us who are settled in the dam’s buffer zone and will
have to pave way for the game park.
“We also want to benefit from this dam built on our ancestral land,” said Mr Timothy
Museva, from Zunga in Chivi.
The dam’s Combination Authority has already held meetings after its constitution and
comprises councillors from both Chivi and Masvingo, whose areas will be affected by the
dam.
Representatives from EMA, Zinwa, Zimparks and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, are
also part of the Authority.
The Authority’s chairperson and Chivi Ward 28 Councillor, Cde Alfred Muzonikwa, noted
that while approval of the dam’s master plan was a welcome development, there are still
some outstanding issues that needed attention.
“There are still some issues that need clarification particularly the fate of families
settled in the dam’s buffer zone where a game park will be opened so that human
activities are limited to avoid siltation of our dam.
“There is no clarity yet on where the affected families from eight wards in both Masvingo
and Chivi will be resettled. The issue of compensation is also very critical and must be
addressed,” said Cllr Muzonikwa
He added that irrigation schemes should be set up in the dam’s immediate environment
to benefit communities around the water body.
“We don’t want our people to be moved to Chingwizi, we want them to be given
opportunities to get somewhere to resettle in the surrounding chiefdoms and then in
return, Government opens irrigation schemes where those affected will get plots. We
hope this issue will be given due consideration”.
Masvingo Rural District Council chief executive Mr Martin Mubviro expressed optimism
that approval of the Tugwi-Mukosi master plan would spur economic development.
“We are looking forward to rapid socioeconomic transformation in our district thanks to
Tugwi-Mukosi Dam. We are hoping to develop a smart city at Gunikuni business centre
which is close to the shores of Tugwi-Mukosi.
“We anticipate investment in holiday homes, hotels and other developments while
agriculture through irrigation is also a major trump card of this dam,” said Mr Mubviro.
He noted that his local authority was still waiting for further direction on the model of
allocating land and determining its usage for areas in and around Tugwi-Mukosi.
Chivi RDC chief executive Mr Tariro Matavire was equally upbeat, noting that approval of
the master plan will add impetus to plans to turn Chibi Turn-Off Business Centre into a
smart city.
“We have already designated Chibi Turn-Off Business Centre as a smart city and we are
working with a leading financial institution in that regard.
“Approval of the Tugwi-Mukosi master plan by Cabinet means our work is now cut out.
Wealsointend to ride on Tugwi-Mukosi Dam to grow Ngundu Growth Point into a town.
The future looks very exciting,” said Mr Matavire.
Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira, said
communities from Chivi and Masvingo districts will benefit from Tugwi-Mukosi Dam, in
line with the Second Republic’s drive of ensuring locals are always the biggest
beneficiaries of any development in their area.
“We will make sure that communities around that dam are not left out when the cake is
being shared. There will be a stake reserved for locals at Tugwi-Mukosi in all
developments that will take place now that the master plan is ready,” said Minister
Chadzamira.
“On fears over the planned game park, final boundaries of the park have not yet been
determined but when the exercise finally takes place, because we have a listening leader
in President Mnangagwa, the concerns and interests of the affected communities will
also be taken into account.”
Tugwi-Mukosi had already started accruing benefits for communities in both Masvingo
and Chivi even before approval of the master plan, with more than 20 fishing cooperatives being licensed to undertake commercial fishing at the dam, boosting household incomes for beneficiaries, mainly locals.
There are also plans to set up a dry harbour for recreational shipping to add another
tourism spectacle at the dam that will be part of a tourism belt stretching from Great
Zimbabwe Monuments to the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park in the Lowveld.
A 17MW power station is also earmarked for Tugwi-Mukosi, widening the scale of clean
energy generation in Zimbabwe.
A fish processing plant is also set to be established near the reservoir built at the
confluence of Tugwi and Mukosi rivers.
Amenities such as schools, health centres, business nodes, heritage sites, museums,
hotels, lodges, training institutes will be developed over an area spanning two rural
district councils and extending upstream and downstream of the Tugwi-Mukosi Dam, as
part of developments in the area.-The Herald
