Masvingo province is relying heavily on the Tugwi-Mukosi Dam for economic growth, with a new town set to be built following the completion of the water body’s development master plan.
Tugwi-Mukosi is Zimbabwe’s largest interior water body with vast irrigation potential, as well as opportunities to develop a thriving tourism industry in and around the dam.
A 15-megawatt mini hydropower plant is also planned for Tugwi-Mukosi, which will meet some of the needs of new development around the dam.
Ezra Chadzamira, Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution stated that the province was on the verge of meteoric economic growth.
He stated that the Vision 2030 targets set by President Mnangagwa’s administration were set to be met in the province, with the Transitional Stabilisation Programme putting Masvingo on a solid footing.
Tugwi-Mukosi was inaugurated in May 2017, and the new administration has completed the dam’s development masterplan, paving the way for full water body exploitation. The development strategy will be presented to Cabinet soon.
Minister Chadzamira stated that the National Development Strategy (NDS 1) would consolidate gains made in the ongoing effort to grow the economy and transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income society by 2030.
“Due to the vast potential that water body possesses in various economic spheres, the province will have its second city at Tugwi-Mukosi, and we are happy that work on the dam’s masterplan has now been completed, paving the way for a lot of developments in and around the dam.”
“The new city is coming to Tugwi-Mukosi, and we hope to have our town here like Kariba because hotels and vacation homes are also planned on some of the scenic islands in the water body.”
A vibrant fisheries industry would emerge at Tugwi-Mukosi, according to the minister, in addition to tourism opportunities that will be enhanced by a planned game park in the dam’s buffer zone.
