Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
THE construction of the 440km Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road will be completed and opened to traffic by August next year, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Advocate Felix Mhona has said.
The minister said this in an interview during a tour of the road on Friday.
The minister is accompanied by Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Tongai Mafidi Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe National Road Administration board vice chairperson Police Commissioner (Rtd) Felie Chikowero-Mjanga, Zinara chief executive officer Mr Nkosinathi Ncube and senior government officials.
Addressing journalists, Minister Mhona said he had engaged with the contractors to ensure that the road will be trafficable by between July and August next year.
He urged the people especially motorists to be patient as the contractors conduct their duties.
All the eight contractors are now back on site and targeting the rehabilitation of at least 160km stretch by the end of the year.
The overall project, which began in July 2025, has seen significant progress across multiple lots.
The eight contractors working on the 440-kilometre road are Bitumen Resources, Syvern Investment, Tensor Systems, Masimba Holdings, Fossil Contracting, Linash Construction, Asphalt Products and Bitumen World.
The road rehabilitation project is expected to improve road safety, reduce travel time and enhance connectivity between Bulawayo, Hwange and Victoria Falls, a key tourism destination.
Works are progressing in phases, with contractors undertaking bush clearing, detour construction, earthworks, drainage installation, surfacing and road widening.
Each of the eight contractors is targeting to rehabilitate at least 20km by December 2026 and to date, 73.4km has so far been rehabilitated and opened to traffic.
The Government recently intensified monitoring of the project to ensure contractors meet the required scope, timelines and quality standards.
The Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road is a vital transport corridor linking Bulawayo with Hwange and Victoria Falls, supporting tourism, trade and the movement of people and goods.
Once completed, the rehabilitation is expected to improve the travelling experience for motorists and strengthen transport links between the country’s second-largest city and the resort town of Victoria Falls.
