44th Sadc Summit preparation gear up

Judith Phiri, Business Reporter

THE preparation of the 44th Sadc Summit continue to gear up with more developments and rehabilitations taking place.

Zimbabwe will be hosting this year’s special Sadc Summit in August under the theme: “Promoting Innovation to Unlock Opportunities for Sustainable Economic Growth and Development Towards an Industrialised Sadc.”

The Summit will once again put the country at the tiller of the regional body with President Mnangagwa taking up chairmanship of the regional bloc.

Sadc is a strategic regional economic community with a cohort of 16 Member States.

Cabinet on Tuesday received and noted progress made in the preparations for hosting the 44th Sadc Summit in August 2024, as presented by Vice President, Gen (Rtd) Dr Constantino Chiwenga.

In a post-Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere said the Government was rehabilitating three main access roads leading to the new Parliament Building in Mt Hampden including the internal circulation roads.

“These access roads include Harare-Chirundu Road, Harare-Kanyemba Road and Old Mazowe Road. Rehabilitation of Harare-Chirundu Road is ongoing and the scope of works includes construction, landscaping and street lighting of the section of Julius
Nyerere Street from the Main Post Office to the intersection of Sam Nujoma Extension and Nemakonde Road (formerly Lomagundi), and along Nemakonde Road to Westgate Traffic Circle (roundabout),” he said.

“Rehabilitation of Harare-Kanyemba Road is also ongoing and the scope of works includes dualisation, widening, upgrading, reconstruction, rehabilitation, street lighting and landscaping of the section of Sam Nujoma Extension from Nemakonde Road to and including the Traffic Circle (roundabout) at the intersection with the New Parliament Boulevard, past Henderson Research Institute area to Mvurwi Turn-Off.”

The Minister said rehabilitation of Old Mazowe Road is underway and the scope of works includes construction and landscaping of Old Mazowe Road from Westgate Traffic Circle (Roundabout) to Mt Hampden; the Loop Road and New
Parliament Building access roads; and the New Parliament Boulevard to the intersection with the Bindura Road.

He said the Government was also rehabilitating Greater Harare roads and the scope of works includes rehabilitation, street lighting and landscaping of 37 roads in the Greater Harare area that link the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport to the City, and also to Mt Hampden and New Parliament Building in particular.

“The overall progress of works is 90 percent and the target completion date is 30th July, 2024. Construction of the Museum of African Liberation is underway,” he added.

Lastly, Dr Muswere said rehabilitation works at the State Pavilion at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport are expected to be completed by the 30th July, 2024.