Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza, [email protected]
THE modernisation of the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road has reached a critical breakthrough, with the successful tarring and reopening of a 12-kilometre stretch just beyond the Ingwigwizi Bridge. This milestone marks a high-velocity advancement in the Second Republic’s infrastructure drive, signalling a major leap forward in the mission to overhaul the national road network.
As one of 33 priority routes earmarked for rehabilitation in 2025 — alongside the Bulawayo-Tsholotsho Road — the project is engineered to redefine the region’s economic landscape. Upon completion, the upgrade will slash travel time between Bulawayo and Inyathi to under 30 minutes, providing a vital lifeline for farming communities and unlocking unprecedented investment opportunities across Matabeleland North.
Beyond improving connectivity, the rehabilitation works are already generating employment for local communities, with villagers engaged in tasks such as clearing gravel and sweeping road surfaces ahead of tarring.
In an update, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development confirmed that 12 kilometres of the new road surface have so far been completed and opened to traffic.
“Surfacing has been completed on the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road construction project, bringing us closer to connecting Bulawayo and Nkayi with a new tarred road. To date, 12 kilometres of the new surface have been completed and opened to traffic,” said the ministry.
The Government has adopted a kilometre-by-kilometre approach on the project, with contractors working on different sections simultaneously — a strategy aimed at ensuring progress even with limited fiscal resources.
Bubi legislator and Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Simelisizwe Sibanda, said the approach has yielded tangible results on the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road in 2025 alone.
“Government no longer waits to accumulate huge sums of money before embarking on major road projects, which allows more critical roads to receive attention.
“The danger of waiting for large sums is that other pressing issues may arise and funds end up being diverted,” he said.
Deputy Minister Sibanda said the approach has enabled the Government to cover more ground across the country while delivering immediate benefits to communities. He noted that commuters and businesses were already enjoying the benefits of the completed Bulawayo-Inyathi section, where transport fares have dropped from US$5 to US$3.
“Transport fares have been slashed to US$3 from US$5, so commuters are already enjoying the benefits of a smooth and trafficable road from Bulawayo and Inyathi. People are now excited about the prospects of owning homes in Inyathi because of improved road access, and Bubi Rural District Council is already receiving enquiries for housing stands. Businesses selling perishables such as milk and bread can now order fresh supplies daily, which was not possible before,” he said.
Bubi Rural District Council chief executive officer, Dr Patson Mlilo, said completion of the road would be a major catalyst for investment in the area.
“The road is only about 60 kilometres from Bulawayo to Inyathi Business Centre, but the journey used to take close to two hours and that discouraged investors. Once completed, the road will completely change the economic outlook of the area,” he said.
The Bulawayo-Nkayi Road serves as a vital link between Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and parts of the Midlands, and its rehabilitation is expected to boost agricultural trade, tourism and rural industrialisation. However, communities living along sections yet to be upgraded have appealed for faster completion of the works.
Mr Amos Ndlovu, a villager near the Ingwigwizi River, said poor road conditions were still forcing commuters to pay high transport fares.
