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Oliver Kazunga Senior Business Reporter
THE Government has approved architectural designs for the proposed multimillion-dollar dry port facility in Makuti expected to decongest Chirundu Border Post by allowing cargo trucks to be cleared before reaching the border on the Zimbabwean side.
Construction of the dry port facility on a 50-hectare piece of land is expected to begin soon.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube told this paper last week that the site for the dry port has already been identified and negotiated with the local authority in Hurungwe district.
“First of all, we have identified the site and l went to see it about a year ago. Secondly, we have also negotiated for the land with the local authority there, so the next phase is to go for a groundbreaking ceremony and also to really understand the designs for this facility.
“Designs have been completed through Zimra (Zimbabwe Revenue Authority) and now we are due to go for a groundbreaking ceremony. Once that is done, then work can begin in earnest.
“It will go a long way in decongesting Chirundu (border post) and allowing trucks to be cleared before the border so as to decongest the border,” he said.
The establishment of the dry port in Makuti is one of the many infrastructural development projects the Government has is implementing, including the completion of the first phase of the US$21 million Makuti-Chirundu highway upgrade covering 6,8 km climbing lane under a grant aid funded by the Japanese Government.
Last week, Zimbabwe and Japan signed an exchange of notes and grant agreement for road improvement of the northern part of the North-South Corridor Phase 2 project along the Harare-Chirundu highway.
Phase 2 of the project on the North-South Corridor will see an additional 7,8 km section between Makuti and Marongora along the Harare-Chirundu highway being rehabilitated.
Prof Ncube said the Government has similar plans to decongest the Forbes Border Post in Mutare as at the moment they were challenges as that port of entry is a small constricted area.
“For what it is worth, we have similar plans for decongesting the Forbes Border Post as well, as you know that we currently have challenges with trucks going through Christmas Pass, where there is a steep rise.
“What we are trying to do is perhaps to create another dry port in a part of Chiadzwa and then construct a road through the Feruka area through that site and then perhaps bridge over the rail; there is a railway line between the Harare-Mutare road and go over that back on to the road so that we can avoid the Christmas Pass area which is causing challenges. There are plans again for a dry port in Manicaland and that will go a long way in decongesting Forbes Border Post,” he said.
Speaking by telephone yesterday, economist Mercy Shumba said the establishment of dry port facilities at Zimbabwe’s ports of entry is a welcome development that would go a long way in decongesting entry points and reduce the amount of revenue the country could be losing as a result of delays at the borders.
“Firstly, it is a welcome development that the Government is moving ahead with plans to establish a dry port facility in Makuti with a view to reducing congestion at Chirundu Border Post.
“As Chirundu is one of the country’s busiest ports of entry, decongesting it by allowing trucks to be cleared at the dry port before reaching the border on the Zimbabwean side will go a long way in reducing delays that result in potential revenue losses the country could be incurring at the moment.
“Secondly, we have read about the significant infrastructure development projects also happening around the Makuti area.
“For example, the planned residential and commercial investments in Makuti entail that the area is being transformed into a town creating a financial ecosystem that will spur further development in that part of the country,” she said.
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