Implementing Zimbabwean projects in the Zambezi Valley

Abstract

Projects such as the Kazungula-Kasane Bridge, Victoria Falls North Bank Power Station, Hwange 7 and 8 Thermal Power Station Extension, Batoka Gorge Hydro-electric Scheme, Zambezi-Bulawayo Water Supply Scheme, Devil's Gorge Hydro-electric Scheme, Gokwe North Thermal Power Station, Kariba South Bank Power Station Extension and Mupata Gorge Hydro-electric Scheme have been on the Zimbabwean infrastructure development cards for a long time but are yet to see the light of day. The objective of the Paper is to highlight some of the opportunities and challenges that each Project presents to policy/decision makers and potential developers utilising information in the public domain, interviews held with relevant potential developers and from the author's experiences and knowledge of the Projects. Some of the opportunities cited relate to the availability of the production raw materials, markets for the end products whilst the challenges include environmental concerns, politics, trust and confidence between development partners and technical issues.