STAKEHOLDERS in the tourism industry have commended the ongoing Kariba Dam rehabilitation project saying it will boost the sector.
The project involves reshaping of the plunge pool and refurbishment of the spillway gates.
It started in 2017, and is expected to be completed in 2025.
The US$294 million project is being funded by the European Union (EU), World Bank (WB), African Development Bank (AfDB), Sweden and the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) which manages the dam.
“You would remember that around 2011 when the floodgates were opened, hundreds of tourists flocked to Kariba just to see the floodgates and everything around the dam. This shows how Kariba remains a drawcard,” said Kariba Tourism and Business Indaba co-ordinator Cephas Shonhiwa.
From inception, the KDRP’s objective has been to ensure the enhancement of the structural integrity of the Kariba Dam, to ensure sustainable power generation capacity for Zimbabwe and Zambia.
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Work on the project, which includes bulk excavation of the rock in the existing pool to facilitate the stabilisation of the plunge pool and prevent further scouring or erosion along the weak fault zone towards the dam foundation, is said to be progressing well.
Independent film producer and director of Santa Joy Services, Joseph Munsaka said: “There is a lot about the Kariba Dam rehabilitation project that can be documented and used to market Kariba as a tourist destination.”