Cabinet approves construction of world class multi-purpose stadium in Victoria Falls

 TOURISM and Hospitality Industry Deputy Minister Tongai Mnangagwa today met the board and management of Mosi-oa-Tunya Development Company and Zimbabwe Cricket management to start implementation of the Masuwe Special Economic Zone project

This follows recent Cabinet approval of the implementation of the Masuwe Special Economic Zone project following a feasibility study that found the scheme to be highly profitable.

The Cabinet approval paved the way for implementation of the project and Mosi-oa-Tunya Development Company is busy scouting for investors.

Zimbabwe Cricket became the first meaningful and committed partner as the cricket body has committed to build a world class multi-purpose stadium to accommodate soccer and rugby activities while promoting sports tourism in the resort city.

The delegation visited the Masue City site in the morning before a meeting at the Mosi-oa-Tunya Development Company boardroom where a commitment was made for groundbreaking of the project before the end of the year.

Mosi-oa-Tunya Development Company (Pvt) Ltd, is a State Enterprise which was set up as an investment vehicle for the Government in the development of tourism in Victoria Falls.

It owns 274.1 hectares of prime land in Masuwe Estate, which is a significant complement of the Victoria Falls Special Economic Zone.

Its nine-member board chaired by Mrs Shiela Sidambe was appointed in 2021 and was given the mandate to deliver infrastructure development in Victoria Falls by expediting feasibility studies for bulk infrastructure and appropriate diligence to register the company’s presence with a solid brick and mortar project.

The Government expects that the company delivers on its mandate to grow the tourism product base in Victoria Falls and this is a must deliverable in the lifespan of the National Development Strategy (NDS1) (2021 to 2025).

In terms of Masuwe city scope, Government earmarks to have a multi-million dollar four-star hotel, a 5 000-seater conference centre, medical centre, a shopping mall and sporting facilities.

Source: Cabinet approves construction of world class multi-purpose stadium in Victoria Falls (18/10/2023)

Batoka power project hurdles cleared

 ZIMBABWE and Zambia are proceeding with development of the 2 400-megawatt (MW) Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme (BGHES), after earlier concerns the project would threaten the world heritage status of the area were resolved.

The US$4,5 billion power project is being jointly facilitated by the two countries and the electricity generated would be shared equally.

In an interview on Friday, Energy and Power Development Minister Edgar Moyo said the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and various stakeholders along the Zambezi River had raised issues that implementation of the hydro-electric power project would destroy the heritage status of the area around the gorge.

He said various feasibility studies for the BGHES, including an environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA), were carried out and it has since been agreed that the envisaged power project can take precedence.

The ESIA — which included a livelihood study of affected communities, a household census, a socio-economic survey and asset inventory to restore and potentially improve the livelihoods of the economically displaced — was undertaken by a South African firm.

“Feasibility studies for the project were done and the Government was happy with the proposed investment.

“However, new issues emerged, the issues had to do with the status of that area as a UNESCO heritage site so there were discussions that were there, where my predecessors were involved regarding the heritage site status that was being threatened by that project.

“But from our Zimbabwean and Zambian side, we were together saying there would be no environmental impact to the extent that the heritage status of the area around the gorge would be affected.

“What then emerged was that we are now in agreement with UNESCO and all other stakeholders along the Zambezi that the project has to go ahead,” said Minister Moyo.

He said because the BGHES was a bilateral project, competitive bidding to secure project contractors and financiers, has not been decided.

“At the moment, the competitive bidding for the Batoka project has not been decided. I think there are a number of processes that should go because remember it’s going to be a bilateral project, so a number of processes have to be undertaken until, at least, a timetable then comes through,” said Minister Moyo.

It has been reported that the African Development Bank has been identified as the adviser and lead arranger of funding for the BGHES, to be located downstream from Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River, which straddles Zimbabwe and Zambia.

The Batoka Gorge sits on the Zambezi River, which supplies water to the Kariba Hydropower Plant, which the two neighbouring countries jointly own, producing 1 050MW on the Zimbabwean side and 1 080MW for Zambia.

“That project is a very big project, which I think should solve most of our power issues.

“If that project is implemented, it’s going to see us generating a lot of power, which will serve as a complement to Kariba. It’s going to solve our power issues in the country.”

The two countries and the rest of the Southern African Development Community are presently facing power shortages that have seen some of the countries experiencing long hours without electricity.

Locally, the situation, caused by frequent breakdowns at the country’s largest thermal power station, has been compounded by low water levels in Kariba Dam, which provides the bulk of the two countries’ electricity supplies.

Successful synchronisation of the US$1,5 billion Hwange Thermal Power Station Units 7 and 8 expansion project this year has now seen the facility feed 600MW into the national grid.

As a result, Zimbabwe — whose peak demand is 2 200MW — has increased power generation to an average of 1 500MW from 700MW.

Due to low water levels in Kariba, the Zambezi River Authority, which manages water resources in the river on behalf of the two countries, has had to ration the amount of water used to generate electricity by the hydropower station.

The BGHES is projected to generate annual revenues of over US$750 million for Zimbabwe and Zambia upon completion.

The scheme will also result in the development of a township to be located on both the north bank of the dam (in Zambia) and on the south bank (in Zimbabwe).

It is hoped the mega project — which would also generate direct employment for over 4 000 people, and another 6 000 indirectly — is a flagship project in the southern African region being spearheaded by the Second Republic under President Mnangagwa.

Source: Batoka power project hurdles cleared (15/10/23)

Repairs solve water crisis in Victoria Falls

VICTORIA Falls City residents are now enjoying uninterrupted water supplies following the completion of the maintenance work at the city’s pump station resulting in 900 cubic metres being pumped per hour.

Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube said water being pumped is enough to supply all residents. Residents in the resort city have in the past few weeks been going for days without water as Victoria Falls City Council struggled to repair a burst pipe at its main pump station where more than 60 percent of water was being lost before distribution.

The local authority had resorted to using bowsers to supply residents in the wake of the biting water crisis. The Government granted Victoria Falls City Council autonomy to manage its own water reticulation a few years ago.

In the past, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) used to manage the city’s water reticulation. The council is pumping water from the Zambezi River using an ageing pumping system.

Mr Dube said the situation had improved significantly following the completion of repair work.

“The problem was at the source where we get water from the river and piping from the abstraction point to the waterworks. Our old infrastructure was giving us problems and we had to change now we are pumping using two pumps with a combined capacity of 900 cubic metres per hour,” he said.

“We are now supplying at a maximum and it is enough to cover consumption even the areas where we have not had water for a long time are now covered.”

The city council is making efforts to upgrade the water system through the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (Wash) programme that also involves upgrading sewer services.

A few months ago council launched a US$4 million wash programme where two mega reservoirs are being constructed in Mkhosana to improve storage and distribution.

The city had also budgeted more than US$1 million for the upgrade of the water abstraction plant where a new plant is supposed to be put to permanently address the water crisis.

The project was mooted several years ago and the local authority rehabilitated most of its infrastructure in 2012 in preparation for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation when it was realised that Wash infrastructure needed upgrading.

The rapid growth of the city in terms of the number of properties and hotels put pressure on water supply, sewerage services, solid waste, roads and drainage.

It caused limited pumping of water, underperformance of water treatment plant due to ageing, water leakage, and low pumping capacity, which resulted in erratic pumping and distribution.

The city pumps adequate water from the abstraction point at the Zambezi River, but the biggest challenge is the distribution of water due to the lack of reservoirs, especially in high-lying areas like Mkhosana.

Mr Dube urged residents to use water sparingly, saying it is expensive to pump and purify water on a daily basis.

Source: Repairs solve water crisis in Victoria FallsRepairs solve water crisis in Victoria Falls (08/10/23)

New hotels for Victoria Falls to boost realisation of US$5 billion tourism economy

THE prime tourism city of Victoria Falls is witnessing massive infrastructure development, a major boost to the country’s tourism sector, which aims to achieve US$5 billion tourism economy by 2025.

Under the Second Republic, the city continues to attract increased investments in new facilities.

The tourism industry is one of the key foreign currency earners in the country and employs thousands of people along the value chain.

Tourism players have described the developments as a sign of growing investor confidence in the country in response to comprehensive economic reforms being implemented by President Mnangagwa.

In 2020, the President launched the National Tourism Recovery and Growth Strategy anchored on Zimbabwe’s vision to be a prime international tourist destination based on the judicious and sustainable exploitation of the unique assets of nature, culture, heritage, and the built environment.

The strategy is informed by the Government’s Vision 2030 to become an upper middle-income economy characterised by increased investment, and decent jobs.

The high growth target of this strategy seeks to achieve a US$5 billion tourism economy and Victoria Falls is a strategic destination whose operations have a huge bearing on the attainment of that target.

The city and its environs is the gateway into Zimbabwe and developments, especially in the tourism sector, help build a positive image of the country as well as position Victoria Falls as a world-class destination.

The Chronicle news crew yesterday observed several structures, at various stages of completion, being built. A majority of the projects are being implemented by locals from different sectors of the economy who have decided to venture into tourism.

There is a three-storey hotel under construction, which is located in the central business district and it is at roof level. A top lawyer from Harare is implementing the facility, which is set to have a shopping complex and three separate structures each with three floors.

Along Reynard Road in the city’s low-density suburb, a massive US$1,8 million 36-roomed hotel is taking shape with the apartments having already been roofed. The project is being implemented by a local businessman and farmer Mr Knowledge Dzimbanhete.

There are several lodges concentrated along Old Kazungula Road where construction work is underway. One facility with more than 10 rooms is almost complete including another with several apartments and it is already for opening.

The ongoing developments dovetail Government plans to transform Victoria Falls into a conferencing capital, with a multi-purpose convention centre, top-notch facilities such as five-star hotels, a medical centre, a university, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces camp, and sporting facilities among others.

The growth taking place in Victoria Falls is within the framework of the Victoria Falls-Hwange-Binga Special Economic Zone, which seeks to integrate the broader tourism economy with agriculture and mining as well as the rich natural environment to promote eco-tourism activities.

In an interview, Mr Dzimbanhete, said he hopes to open the hotel next year.

“This has been about perseverance and confidence. We are bringing in a 38-roomed hotel which should be open in April next year. Upon completion, about US$1,8 million would have been invested into facility,” he said.

President Mnangagwa conferred city status to Victoria Falls in December 2019, making it the youngest city in the country and a fertile ground for investment.

Plans are underway to build Masue City, which will have a convention and conference centre, five-star hotels, medical facilities and shopping malls to make Victoria Falls a conference capital.

In 2020 the Second Republic established the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange, the only United States dollar-denominated bourse in the region as part of efforts to implement the SEZ and the counter has since attracted 14 listings in its first three years.

Government wants to transform Victoria Falls into a little Vegas with state-of the art facilities and infrastructure that is commensurate with a city.

This includes establishing firms outside the tourism sector, with state-of-the-art medical facilities also coming in to promote medical tourism.

Several hotels including Palm River Hotel, Mbano Manor Hotel, Zambezi Boutique, Nkosi, Guest Lodge, Mpala Jena and others were built during the first five years of the Second Republic.

Government has also been upgrading transport infrastructure to facilitate travel either by road or air into Victoria Falls where a number of airlines are also angling on flying into the destination.

Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe president Mr Wengayi Nhau welcomed the new developments, saying they speak to sustainable tourism, job creation, foreign currency earning and increase in room stock.

“When there is no confidence in a destination there is no need for people to put the amount of investment we are seeing. This shows confidence and interest in Victoria Falls and as a tourism sector, we applaud the positive developments that we are seeing,” he said.

“However, we want to balance with sustainability and make sure the developments are sustainable in all areas of environment, inclusiveness, involvement of community, diversity in terms of more people getting involved in tourism and job creation.”

Mr Nhau said there is a huge a room deficit in Victoria Falls hence the new developments will help address the challenges. – @ncubeleon

Source: New hotels for Victoria Falls to boost realisation of US$5 billion tourism economy (29/09/23)

Victoria Falls elects 27-year-old Prince Moyo as new mayor

 VICTORIA FALLS – Victoria Falls has installed 27-year-old Prince Thuso Moyo as city mayor following an election held in the resort town on Monday.

Moyo, who is ward 7 councillor, will be deputised by ward 3 councillor Lungile Nyoni.

The two were elected unopposed as the city’s first residents.

Speaking soon after his election, Moyo said the restoration of smooth water supplies to rate payers of a city ironically known worldwide for its giant water spectacle was top of his new council’s priorities.

“We have a challenge of water in this town and there is an over US$4 million water sanitation and hygiene (Wash) project phase one under implementation, we want this project to be completed soonest,” he said.

“We hope the project will be completed before the end of the year to provide adequate water to the citizens. This is our immediate task.”

Moyo joins 25-year-old Masvingo mayor Shantel Chiwara among the youngest to take up arguably the country’s most demanding job in civic leadership.

Victoria Falls has 14 councillors who were elected in the August 23 harmonised elections.

Of these, 11 were elected directly from the poll while three are beneficiaries of the women’s proportional representation quota.

All except one Zanu PF proportional representation, are CCC councillors.

Source: Victoria Falls elects 27-year-old Prince Moyo as new mayor (26/09/23)

World Heritage Committee Dilutes Reaction to Batoka Gorge HydroElectric Scheme

Keep Victoria Falls Wild, 27th September 2023

- South Africa successfully propose amendments diluting Committee decision

- Committee diverted from recommendations of Reactive Monitoring Mission

The World Heritage Committee at its 45th Conference Session, held at Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over 10th-25th September 2023, turned its attention to issues affecting the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site (VFWHS) in a discussion held on 13th September (available to view on the UNESCO World Heritage website here (1:52:10 to 2:33:25)). 

Members of the Committee discussed the draft decision text prepared by the World Heritage Centre and IUCN (UNESCO, July 2023) and amendments to the text which were proposed by the South African delegation (UNESCO, August 2023). Both South Africa and Zambia are currently members of the Committee.

The Committee’s concerns mainly focussed on the proposed Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme (BGHES), jointly proposed by the State Parties of Zambia and Zimbabwe, and potential impacts of the project on the Outstanding Universal Values (OUV) of the VFWHS, which includes a section of the gorges extending some 12 km downstream as well as the Falls themselves and a section the river extending some 15 km upstream.

Map showing flooding of the Batoka Gorge from the proposed 
Hydro-Electric Scheme (click for larger view)

Before the Committee debated the proposed amendments, the World Heritage Centre Secretariat presented an opening statement highlighting direct threats to the Site from the Batoka Gorge Hydro Electric Scheme (BGHES).

“On the issue of the Batoka Gorge Hydro Electric Scheme which is referred in paragraph 4 - we would like to note that following review of the documentations from the State Parties, the WHC and IUCN have assessed that the reservoir area of the electric scheme will extend approximately 10.75 km into the property at full supply level which at deepest point will increase the water level in the property by around 43 m. During the dry season it is reported that the reservoir level  will be lowered, which will reduced the flooded area by 5 km. This means that during the dry season still 5.75 km of the gorge inside the property will remain with the higher water level.

“The project will therefore alter the unique gorge ecosystem and water flow and could potentially impact on the ecological values of the property as defined in its statement of OUV.

“The World Heritage Centre therefore considers that the property should not proceed as currently proposed but should be further revised together with the Environmental Impact Assessment to assess alternative project designs that would avoid these impacts on the property and include a comprehensive ecological assessment of the gorge ecosystem.”

In their statement on their proposed amendments the representative for South Africa informed the Committee:

“The State Party of Zambia has taken utmost care to avoid any possible impacts on the OUV through the selection of an alternative that has no likelihood of undermining the integrity of the site. The chosen alternative clearly shows the tail of the backflow of the reservoir waters will only be located in gorges, with a potential water level rise of only 25% maximum, and as such no flooding of the gorges. And therefore no negative impact on the attributes of the OUV.”

The statement appears to contradict itself by saying the backflow will include the gorges (within the WHS) but that there will be “no flooding of the gorges,” and the claimed “potential water level rise of only 25% maximum” appears to make limited sense without further context. 

The representative from Zimbabwe also encouraged the Committee to support the project.

"The establishment of the BGHES will contribute to the partial fulfilment of the national obligations under the Paris agreement following the UN... COP decision to encourage third parties to promote clean energy production whilst reducing and eventually eliminating fossil fuels that are exacerbating climate change and have negative and significant implications on the hydrology of the Zambezi river.

"At present the average of 50 percent of our populations both in Zambia and Zimbabwe lack access to electricity, and ...the investment in clean energy is necessary, and in joint efforts...  our governments remain committed to religiously implement recommendations of the E S I A prepared for this project.

"Given these submissions, Chair, together with Zambia we pledge to continue preserving the integrity of the property whilst ensuring that livelihoods surrounding communities are enhanced through sustainably designed programmes and ensuring that the ecosystems inhabited are preserved to protect the OUV of the property."

The Committee then discussed and considered the various amendments, with the Japanese delegates, in particular, raising concerns over the shift of emphasis away from the request for a comprehensive ecological assessment of the project’s impact on gorge ecosystem environment, instead placing the emphasis on a geomorphological and/or geological assessment.

Google satellite image of the Batoka Gorge (click for larger view)

A detailed ecological study of the gorge ecosystems is essential if the impacts of this development are to be understood. For example the fish communities of the middle Zambezi River system reflect not only the fast-flowing rapids of the gorge system but also a complex regional geomorphological history of major river course changes and river captures, with the Victoria Falls acting as a geographical barrier to the movement of fish and resulting in geographically isolated fish communities downstream of the Falls. Geomorphological evidence has resulted in several theories on the time-scales in the evolution of the Falls and gorge system and the study of comparative fish faunas and species clines has helped refine these theories (Kramer and Van der Bank, 2011). There is still potentially much more that can be learned from the study of the unique fish communities of the Batoka Gorge before they are lost under the waters of the BGHES.

It should be noted that the gorge systems of the middle Zambezi downstream are already significantly affected by the Kariba Dam, and that the BGHES will not only affect the natural river-flow above the dam, but also downstream, effectively modifying the remaining natural sections of the gorge environments. An alternative location, in the Devil’s Gorge, downstream from the Batoka Gorge and above Kariba, would at least leave the Batoka Gorge as a last natural example of the once extensive gorge ecosystems.

Despite the issues raised in the joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission report, opening statements from the World Heritage Centre and IUCN and concerns raised by the Japanese delegation, the Committee adopted the amendments suggested by South Africa. The amendments removed a specific request “to assess alternative project designs that will not impact the OUV.”

The amendments effectively remove all the recommendations resulting from the Reactive Monitoring Mission to the Site, undertaken in February 2022 (UNESCO, June 2023), undermining efforts of their own advisory bodies to improve the protection of the Site.

References

Kramera and Van der Bank (2011) The Victoria Falls, a species boundary for the Zambezi Parrotfish, Cyphomyrus discorhynchus (Peters, 1852), and the resurrection of Cyphomyrus cubangoensis (Pellegrin, 1936). Journal of Natural History, Vol.45, Nos.43-44, November 2011, 2669–2699. [Available to download from the KVFW website here.]

UNESCO (June 2023) Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls Reactive Monitoring Mission (February 2022) Final Report. [Available to download from the UNESCO World Heritage website here.]

UNESCO (July 2023) Item 7B of the Provisional Agenda: State of conservation of properties inscribed on the of World Heritage List (WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add). [Available to download from the UNESCO World Heritage website here.]

UNESCO (August 2023) 7B Amendment/Proposal 45 COM 7B.10 Submitted by the Delegation of South Africa, 26th August. [Available to download from the UNESCO World Heritage website here (direct download).]

Further Information

Read more on the background to the Batoka Gorge HydroElectric Scheme on the Keep Victoria Falls Wild website.

Read more:

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (15th February 2026) Fresh momentum for Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (31st December 2025) Zimbabwe, Zambia commit US$440m to Batoka Gorge project.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (4th December 2025) AFRY to update key studies for Batoka Gorge project, Zambia.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (2nd June 2025) Zimbabwe And Zambia Renew Investor Search For Batoka Gorge Project.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (3rd May 2025) Zambia, Zimbabwe Court Investors to Revive $5 Billion Hydro Dam.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (22nd November 2024) Zambezi River Authority updates Batoka project feasibility studies.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (27th March 2024) Zambia and Zimbabwe to retender $5bn Batoka Gorge hydropower plant

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (27th September 2023) World Heritage Committee Dilutes Reaction to Batoka Gorge HydroElectric Scheme.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (16th June 2023) Zambia looks to cancel $5 billion Batoka Gorge HES project.

See also the Keep Victoria Falls Wild website.

Victoria Falls Councillors Defy Chamisa To Vote Mayor Of Own Choice

 Victoria Falls councillors on Monday defied their leader, Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), and voted for a mayor and deputy of their choice.

 The 11-ward city is dominated by the CCC, which has 10 out of 11 elected councillors and three Women’s Quota representatives.

After a disruptive meeting last week, in which residents blocked the election citing the imposition of candidates by Chamisa, the council reconvened on Monday and elected Ward 7 councillor Prince Thuso Moyo as mayor and Ward 3 councillor Lungile Nyoni as his deputy

Residents had said they would rather have a local “Munizi” (descendant of Hwange districts) as mayor than an outsider.

Chamisa had wanted Ward 1 councillor Ephias Mambume to become mayor and deputised by Ward 8 councillor Priscilah Mhlanga.

Residents vowed never to allow that to happen, and on Monday, all the CCC councillors except for Mambume convened an urgent meeting behind closed doors in the morning with the party’s Matabeleland North chair, Prince Dubeko Sibanda, where they resolved to elect Cllr Moyo and Cllr Nyoni unopposed.

The election was held in the afternoon after an earlier adjourned meeting in the morning due to the absence of the councillors.

Cllr Moyo has been in the centre of a corruption storm in the last council tenure, where he fronted corruption deals involving sale of land on behalf of other councillors. At some stage, residents had wanted him not voted back into council.

Police and council on Monday intensified security in fear of a repeat of last week’s violent scenes, and only a handful of residents were allowed into council.

Residents’ leaders Kelvin Moyo and others were also picked by police on Saturday for causing violence and released on the same day after they were reported to have been having a meeting plotting against Chamisa’s preferred candidate.

In his acceptance speech, the new mayor, who is Managing Director of Platform Trading and Fruit and Vegetable Market, promised to address water challenges affecting the city.

“I want to thank the outgoing mayor Somveli Dlamini, councillors, Town Clerk Ronnie Dube and his management for efforts made to make sure Victoria Falls attains its goal to be a smart green city,” he said.

“One of the greatest challenges of the city is water and we need to combine efforts with management and Victoria Falls stakeholders for possible funding. I am informed that the previous council was implementing a US$4 million reservoir project and once completed the issue of water will be a thing of the past,” he said.

Already flexing his muscle, Cllr Moyo ordered political parties and candidates in the recent harmonised elections to remove their campaign posters, which he said remained an eyesore to the tourism city.

His deputy, Cllr Nyoni, is employed by a local tour operating company and runs Rush Hour Butcheries, shop and bottle store.

Source: Victoria Falls Councillors Defy Chamisa To Vote Mayor Of Own Choice (26/09/2023)