Andrew
Senior Business Reporter
The Government says it is satisfied with massive progress on several key infrastructure projects implemented countrywide this year and expects to maintain the momentum in 2022 as it moves to towards achieving Vision 2030.
Road infrastructure projects have been among key deliverables of the five-year economic development blueprint, the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which has a strong focus on building, expanding and restoring infrastructure.
Good road infrastructure is one of the many economic enablers as it facilitates ease of movement of goods and ensures sustained national development.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona told The Sunday Mail Business that progress on major road rehabilitation projects such as the Harare-Beitbridge Highway has been tremendous.
Upon completion of the road, the Government intends to work on the Harare-Chirundu and Harare-Nyamapanda highways.
“In January this year, we were just above 100 kilometres, then we opened 170 more kilometres and currently we are sitting at 270km, and by the close of the year, we would have gained some more kilometres,” he said.
Initially, the Government was targeting 300 kilometres, but it was missed owing to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic and bottlenecks in the movement of key consumables and capital equipment.
“It is actually pleasing and we are hoping that next year, we will finish the Harare-Beitbridge Highway late as we go into 2023, with the Mbudzi roundabout project which will mark the beginning of the Harare-Chirundu Highway project,” he said.
Through the NDS1, the Government plans to increase the road network converted to meet Southern Africa Transport and Communications Commission (SATCC) standards from 5 percent to 10 percent.
The kilometres of road network in good condition will be similarly improved from 14 702km to 24 500km by 2025.
Major achievements have been realised in the rehabilitation of major feeder roads in cities and towns.
For the national rail system, the target under the five-year development plan is to increase the proportion of track meeting set standards (Track Quality Index) from 57 percent in 2020 to 68 percent by 2025.
“If it was not for the Omicron variant, DP World from Dubai would have been in the country, and we hope in 2022 they will come after relaxation of travel restrictions of this variant to work on the projects,” said Minister Mhona.
He added that Image Waters are working on the harbour in Kariba, where they are renovating the facility using the available budget resources to procure equipment for monitoring purposes.
“We are targeting to buy four monitoring equipment by next year. We are also changing the traffic control towers at Robert Gabriel Mugabe (RGM) International Airport. The Victoria Falls is done and we are hoping that as we move into the first quarter of 2022, we will have finished the RGM.”
Buffalo Range Airport runway has been rehabilitated through the District Development Fund (DDF), while work on the taxiway is underway.
Feasibility studies for the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway have been completed, with the project expected to move ahead during the first three months of 2022.
According to the Minister Mhona, most projects are being financed through Government finances, Build and Operate (BOP) models and structured finance arrangements.
During the first quarter of 2022, the Government will hold a virtual infrastructure indaba to court investors for the various road infrastructure projects.
The Government has also made headway in improving the country’s road network under the phased Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP2).
More than $33,6 billion was committed to the programme, while the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) has since disbursed over $2,3 billion.
Road infrastructure plays a critical role in enabling business and trade within Zimbabwe and the SADC region, as well as facilitating access to markets and movement of raw materials, inputs, finished goods and labour.
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