Chinhoyi acquires $500k road equipment

Blessings Chidakwa Chinhoyi Bureau
Chinhoyi Municipality has invested over $500 000 in state-of-the-art road equipment as part of its capacity-building programme for its engineering department.

The equipment, meant for civil engineering projects, will be used to rehabilitate more than 282 kilometres of road, as well as opening up new roads in some of the town’s suburbs developed before council could provide the necessary services.

This is a major boost to Chinhoyi after it was allocated $947 125 through the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP) administered by Zimbabwe National Road Administration (zinara). Chinhoyi Municipality spokesperson Mr Tichaona Mlauzi on Monday said the equipment would be commissioned next month.

“We bought road equipment valued at $502 000. Among the equipment, there are two tractors worth $73 000, two tippers, one dozer and one roller at a cost of $139 000, $195 000, $95 000 respectively.” The equipment comes at a time when the municipality was last year, criticised for failing to use the ERRP funds.

In fact, council was accused of engaging a local firm that did shoddy work on resealing the town’s major roads in the central business district (CBD).

The local firm is alleged to have also corruptly won tenders in most towns across Mashonaland West province. The road equipment, if fully used, will likely enhance Chinhoyi’s chances of attaining city status this year.