After facing various challenges – including an unexpected rise in water level that led to an evacuation upstream – construction of Zimbabwe’s largest inland dam has finally been completed, nearly 20 years since its construction began.

Initially, the US$200 million Tokwe Mukorsi dam – which is over 90m high, creating a 1.75 billion m³ reservoir – was solely for the purpose of flood control, irrigation, fisheries and water storage. But according to an Asoko Insight report, the dam is now also expected to boost the country’s agriculture and tourism sectors, as well as the development of property and commercial activity in and around Masvingo Province.

In anticipation of the increased tourism activity, a hotel is to be built – creating around 700 jobs, while a 15 MW hydropower station has also been installed at the dam to contribute to Zimbabwe’s power deficit.

24 January 2017
Image: The Sunday Mail Zimbabwe