Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development Minister, Anxious Jongwe Masuka said that the prevailing El Nino spell will dissipate by May this year giving way to a neutral phase.
El Niño occurs on average every two to seven years and typically lasts nine to 12 months.
El Niño and La Niña are the extreme phases of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle; between these two phases is a third phase called ENSO-neutral.
In November 2023, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said the current El Niño developed rapidly during July-August and reached moderate strength by September 2023 and was expected to peak as a strong event in November – January 2024.
Speaking on Wednesday at a media briefing soon after he met with the Bulawayo Technical Committee on Improving Water Supply at Mhlahlandlela Government Complex in Bulawayo, Masuka said (<a href="https://www.zimlive.com/masuka-says-el-nino-season-to-subside-in-three-months/">via ZimLive</a>):
<blockquote>
Fortunately, the El Nino is rapidly waning and it is predicted that by April or May 2024, we will be in a neutral phase and we look forward to even a normal rainfall season next year.
So, the crisis will probably have been short-lived thus we requested the technical committee to look at that.
</blockquote>
Masuka also said the Technical Committee will explore ways in which to maximise the Nyamandlovu aquifer which is currently producing 12 million litres a day and exploit more aquifers around the province. He said:
<blockquote>
We asked the committee to refocus their efforts on ensuring that the Nyamandlovu aquifer can give us the maximum that it was designed for, currently, we are getting 12 Mega-litres from it but we expect that the minimum we should be getting is 16 megalitres.
This low water harvest in our aquifer is due to vandalism taking place but we are going to activate state security apparatus to ensure that this is nipped in the bud.
Apart from adding more aquifers, the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has proposed a Private Sector Investment in one of the dams and this team will expedite the evaluation process so that the approvals can be granted formally for this complementary investment.
As the government, we are looking at a long-term supply guarantee solution which is the Gwayi-Shangani River that will see 220 megalitres a day going into the city and giving Bulawayo eight years of water supply.
</blockquote>
The Technical Committee was set up to assist the City of Bulawayo in ensuring that they have adequate and safe water.
In December 2023, the City of Bulawayo extended water rationing by an additional 48 hours, bringing the total rationing time to 120 hours.
Authorities said the decision was made due to a significant drop in water levels in the city’s dams.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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Adverse El Nino Phase To Subside By April - Minister Masuka

The government has yet again missed its December 2023 deadline to complete the Gwayi-Shangani dam project, which is expected to address the City of Bulawayo’s perennial water challenges.
The Gwayi-Shangani dam, which is expected to be the third-largest inland water body in Zimbabwe, is part of the greater Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project (MZWP).
The Government had initially said the dam would have been completed in December 2022.
After missing the December 2022 deadline, Lands, Agriculture and Water Minister Anxious Masuka said the dam will be completed ahead of the 2023/24 summer cropping season.
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) secretary for administration Thembelani Dube told the Southern Eye that construction work at the dam slowed down after the August 2023 general elections and there are fears now that the project will never be completed. Said Dube:
<blockquote>
The completion of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam has of late been moving at a snail’s pace compared to the speed at which it was moving pre-2023 harmonised elections.
As Bulawayo residents, we pinned our hopes on the massive water body project to alleviate the perennial water challenges in Bulawayo.
We urge the government to pool all resources to expedite the completion of the decades-long outstanding project.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) spokesperson Marjorie Munyonga said the project was now 70.2% complete.
Bulawayo United Resident Association (BURA) chairperson Winos Dube urged residents to speak with one voice so that the Government shows seriousness about the MZWP. He said:
<blockquote>
The government keeps on changing goalposts; we need seriousness.
We call upon people from this region to speak in one voice including the leadership to make sure that this project comes to fruition.
The 120 hours of water shedding that was introduced is very painful, especially looking at a situation where we have a cholera outbreak.
</blockquote>
Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights coordinator Khumbulani Maphosa said:
<blockquote>
As an organisation we are also worried about the compensation of the people of Lubimbi who are going to be affected, we do not want the people of Bulawayo to drink water at the expense of the Lubimbi and the Tonga villagers.
We want justice to prevail; this is the chance for the Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube to announce a proper compensation package.
</blockquote>
Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo said:
<blockquote>
Work is in progress. However, shortages of resources are affecting the pace of the project.
We are now targeting to complete the project by the first quarter of next year.
</blockquote>
The dam is expected to have an ogee-shaped overflow, with a 200-metre-long spillway while the maximum depth of water will be 59 metres.
The construction of Lake Gwayi-Shangani is the first phase of the project which also involves the laying of a 245km pipeline from the dam to Bulawayo.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Govt Misses Gwayi-Shangani Dam Completion Deadline, Again

The city of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second-largest city, has extended water rationing by an additional 48 hours, bringing the total rationing time to 120 hours. Authorities say this decision was made due to a significant drop in water levels in the key reservoir, which currently stands at only 4% of the desired level.
The shortage of rainfall has been attributed to the El Niño weather pattern, a natural climate phenomenon that causes changes in ocean temperatures and atmospheric conditions. This particular El Niño is predicted to be historically strong and among the most intense since 1950, according to the US Climate Prediction Center. It has been associated with extreme weather events around the world, including storms, droughts, and wildfires.
The water crisis in Bulawayo is not a new problem. The city has been grappling with water shortages for many years due to a combination of factors, including rapid population growth, ageing infrastructure, and limited water resources. The situation has been exacerbated by climate change and the unpredictability of rainfall patterns.
To address the long-term water shortage, the Gwayi-Shangani Dam was proposed in 1912 as part of the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project (MZWP). However, due to a lack of political will and insufficient funding, the dam has yet to be completed. The project was recently awarded to the China International Water and Electric Corporation. 
Once finished, the Gwayi-Shangani Dam will be the third-largest inland water body in Zimbabwe, following Tokwe-Mukosi and Lake Mutirikwi. The dam is located in Region Four, which experiences low rainfall and high temperatures. The government has invested over US$122 million in the project. In 2012, the government took over the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project (MZWP) from the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Trust, led by the late Dumiso Dabengwa. The government had promised to accelerate the project’s completion but had limited success.
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