Marovanyati Dam, a captivating site of body of water trapped between two mountains and having an island of a hill, provides a cinematic view which is a marvel to watch.
The spill way, a rock dwalla have some waterfalls caused by the uneven slopping land which also provide some moments of attention as you will not miss the beautiful view of water refreshingly sliding the bumpy rock.
Manicaland is known for its mountainous landscape.
Buhera, a district west of Manicaland Province has a fair share of its mountains but not as much as big and many as of the Eastern boarder.
Dr Emily Chibvongodze, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Buhera District could have been captivated by Marovanyati dam just as was the writer of this script, her plans for the dam were so magnanimous.
The Herald of 26 July 2021, reported that the CEO was planning to establish a business centre at Marovanyati.
The CEO went on to tell the Herald that they had received support from the Commonwealth Local Government Forum which funds councils to carry out district profiling and ward planning.
Marovanyati was given a priority for the disbursement of the funds and Dr Chibvongodze was looking to showcase the landmark and investment that will help improve the district’s economy, she told the Herald.
The learned Dr as reported by Herald was targetting tourism, fisheries, boat cruising, accommodation and a wildlife corridor besides agriculture whereas development was concerned.
The vision of Dr Chibvongodze was so realistic and this can be the common view for anyone who had been there physically at Marovanyati.
The vision was consumerate with the status of a Dr, surely the PhD was a well deserved one and not like those that we have heard which have been of questionable criteria.
Forgiving me for becoming a Herald mouthpiece, but it is necessary to do a backgrounding so as to understand the present.
Buhera district planners in July 2021were working with those from Kanyemba to develop Buhera centred on Marovanyati and the learned Dr was so confident that the district will never be the same again as she told the state owned publication, Herald.
50 million cubic metres Moravanyati dam’s constuction started in 2013.
The government launched the dam project as one of the 12 high impact dams designated to modernise the agricuture sector.
It was aimed on achieving food security and self sufficiency.
Morovanyati dam is located along Mwerahari River, a perennial river that cut across Buhera.
Approximately 7 kms due West from Murambinda Growthpoint is where we find the dam.
The above small and hardly visible signage when driving is the only visible signage showing directions to one of the largest dam in the country.
The signage is a precursor of the development that waits ahead, tiny and invisible.
Along the way you see what might be a site office. On the picture above, one expect to see personal that might guide visitors along the dam, maybe being a Sunday the person could have been on off as some washed clothes were seen drying on the lawn.
The clothes, was a testimony that there was life to what seems like a deserted environment.
The dam was commissioned by the President of Zimbabwe, ED Mnangagwa on 11 November 2020 as the above picture reveals.
The Second Republic under the leadership of Mnangagwa has been popularising the mantra, “leaving no place and no one behind”.
The mantra is used to highlight how the government is incoorperating everyone and every place in development in an effort to attain an upper middle class economy by year 2030.
The people of Buhera have been left behind with their dam the very day the President commisioned the project.
There is no single trace of development post dam commissioning.
The above picture is of concrete blocks that have been overshadowed by grass which is symbolic of how Marovanyati dam has been forgotten and neglected 3 years after commissioning.
It is disheartening to see no sign of development or activity at Marovanyati when Buhera is one of the arid district in the country.
Murambinda Growthpoint face perennial water shortages and just 7 kms away, vast water is stored unused.
John Matimbe from Mombeyarara area who had visited the dam with his family to see how development was progressing following positive stories on the media was disappointed with what he saw.
“People should not just build a costly dam and leave this vast amount of water laying idle like this”, Matimbe said.
The dam just lay idle as there is no activity even of women washing their clothes and or children swimming on the banks.
The writer and 2 other seperate families were the only living humans on this fateful day.
Efforts to get hold of Dr Chibvongodze were unfruitful as she was constantly said she was out of office on Council business.
A Mr Jachi refused to be interviewed with this publication when it visited Murambinda Council Offices.
“We have one centre of power and only the CEO is permitted to make press statements”, Jachi said after he was asked about the unavailability of development at Marovanyati Dam.
Several text messages and emails were unreplied and only replied once when asked if they had seen the interview questions to which they confirmed.
The story went on to be published at a time when the writer’s phone call was no longer connecting but when other numbers were used they were sailing through and only to be told that the CEO was unavailable.