Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
GWERU City Council (GCC) has embarked on a massive road rehabilitation programme using funds from the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP II), which is set to bring relief to motorists as the roads were no longer trafficable.
GCC was allocated $196 million under the ERRP II programme as Government intensifies efforts to rehabilitate the country’s road network.
Roads from the city centre to suburbs were in a bad state after being damaged by the rains.
Vehicle repairs due to bad roads had become common with motorists counting their losses.
In Gweru roads earmarked for ERRP II are Simon Mazorodze, Coventry, Matobo and Mkoba (Bristol) road up to Village 4.
GCC is also rehabilitating Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Road using devolution funds.
GCC director of roads, Engineer Melsem Masukume, said there are road rehabilitation programmes currently taking place in the City of Progress.
“Council using ERRF II and devolution funds has embarked on a massive road rehabilitation programme.
We have four roads under ERRP II which are Simon Mazorodze, Coventry, Matobo and Mkoba.
We also have Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Road that is being rehabilitated under the devolution funds,” he said.
“The programme is going on well so that the roads are trafficable.”
Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) spokesperson, Mr Tendai Mugabe said Government has since February last year embarked on a national road reconstruction.
“We disbursed $9,5 billion for road works that include ERRP II and periodic and routine road maintenance in 2021.
Under ERRP, we have disbursed advance payments to all road authorities and road works are taking place in all provinces,” he said.
Mr Macdonald Sita — a motorist from Mkoba 13 commended Government for availing roads rehabilitation funds to GCC.
“With the rehabilitation of roads, as motorists we are happy that the roads will be trafficable.
At the same time, we will be assured that the potholes will be rehabilitated meaning our cars will have a long-life span as we will be driving them on good roads,” he said.
A commuter omnibus driver Mr James Nyoni said costs of maintaining his omnibus were becoming insurmountable because of potholes which were damaging the vehicle.
“However, with the road rehabilitation taking place in and around Gweru, it means less damages and therefore we are confident that vehicle repairs and maintenance costs might go down because there won’t be high demand for repairs and maintenance,” he said.
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