Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
A TOTAL of 73,4km of the 440km Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road has been rehabilitated and opened to traffic, with all eight contractors now back on site and targeting to complete another 160km by end of year.
The rehabilitation project, which began in July 2025, is progressing in phases as the Government steps up efforts to upgrade the strategic highway linking Bulawayo, Hwange and Victoria Falls, a major tourism destination.
The eight contractors are Bitumen Resources, Syvern Investment, Tensor Systems, Masimba Holdings, Fossil Contracting, Linash Construction, Asphalt Products and Bitumen World.
Each contractor is targeting to rehabilitate at least 20km by December 2026, with work including bush clearing, detour construction, earthworks, drainage installation, road widening and surfacing.
The Government has intensified monitoring of the project to ensure contractors meet the required scope, time-lines and quality standards.
The road is a vital transport corridor supporting tourism, trade and the movement of people and goods between Bulawayo, Hwange and Victoria Falls.
It also serves regional traffic connecting Zimbabwe to neighbouring countries through the Southern African Development Community (SADC) transport network.
The highway forms part of the broader North-South Corridor, which links key commercial centres across Southern Africa and facilitates regional trade.
Initially, five contractors — Fossil Contracting, Masimba Holdings, Syvern Investment, Bitumen Resources and Tensor Systems — were awarded contracts to rehabilitate sections of the highway.
Government later engaged three additional contractors for Lots 6, 7 and 8, covering the final approaches to Victoria Falls, to accelerate work on the strategic route.
For years, motorists, truckers and tourists travelling to Victoria Falls, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, have endured difficult journeys due to the deteriorated road surface and numerous potholes.
The ongoing rehabilitation is expected to improve road safety, reduce travel time and provide a smoother journey for motorists while enhancing the movement of goods and tourism traffic.
The project is being implemented under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme Phase Two (ERRP II), which was launched by the Government to upgrade and modernise the country’s road network.
The programme has also seen major works on highways such as Harare-Beitbridge, Harare-Chirundu and Mutare-Harare, alongside improvements to key feeder roads across the country’s provinces.
The rehabilitation of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road is part of broader infrastructure development efforts aimed at strengthening connectivity, supporting economic activity and facilitating cross-border trade.
Once completed, the highway is expected to improve links between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, boost tourism and strengthen Zimbabwe’s position as a regional logistics and tourism hub.
