Harare begins road resurfacing

million towards for the project, town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi has said.
Two banks have, however, shown commitment to lend the city a total of US$45 million to repair its roads but council management is still battling to find ways of repaying the loans within the prescribed period.

Last week, the city began resurfacing roads along First Street on the stretch between Samora Machel and Nkwame Nkrumah avenues.
Dr Mahachi said the Ministry of Finance had advanced US$2 million towards the road works while the Zimbabwe National Roads Authority had put US$1 million from the vehicle licensing fund. Another US$2 million from Government has gone towards the procurement of roads maintenance equipment that includes six tippers.

Dr Mahachi said council would soon receive US$10 million from different partners for the same purpose.
“The city is pleased to announce that it has embarked on the road rehabilitation exercise,” said Dr Mahachi.

Engineering services director Eng Philip Pfukwa said the road rehabilitation would be done in four phases.
The first phase covers First Street between Nkwame Nkrumah and Samora Machel Avenues, Kwame Nkrumah and Fourth Street, Fourth Street to Tongogara, Fourth Street to Kenneth Kaunda Avenue, Kenneth Kaunda to Julius Nyerere Way and Bank Street – the stretch between Kenneth Kaunda Avenue and Harare Street.

Dr Mahachi said the city would also patch up potholes in residential areas and re-do roads which were badly damaged. Meanwhile some motorists have complained that the resurfacing programme was causing massive congestion in the city, with some observers saying it was supposed to be done during weekends when there is less traffic.