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Freeman Razemba–Senior Reporter
MASSIVE road construction and rehabilitation of border posts is lined up countrywide after the SADC Summit, with the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) having secured funding to purchase more equipment and fuel for the projects.
Plans are also underway to relocate the Eskbank tollgate to Mvurwi turnoff along the Harare-Bindura Road, which is being constructed by Exodus and Company.
This was revealed yesterday by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister, Felix Mhona, when he opened another Gwebi River Bridge and a 10km stretch along the Harare-Bindura Road.
The bridge is between Harare Drive and the Zimbabwe National Defence University, while the 10km stretch starts from the bridge up to a traffic circle at the Boulevard that leads to the New Parliament Building.
Minister Mhona and his deputy Joshua Sacco, led a tour of the road and the bridge before opening it to traffic.
In an interview, Minister Mhona said they have a massive programme of rehabilitating roads not only in the city centres, but also in residential areas.
He said in every province, they will engage the provincial road engineer, and discuss priority projects that should be undertaken first.
“I am happy that what you have seen here, we have been working closely with Zinara on a weekly basis to say what is it that we can earmark towards the road rehabilitation programme, and we will continue in that regard.
“So you will see us now attend to very emotional roads across the country, working closely with Zinara and also the Treasury.”
Minister Mhona added that they will soon be approaching Rural District Councils, given that Zinara has already secured funding to buy equipment and fuel.
“So we will attend to every road but we cannot do it alone and we cannot do it once. We need to put our heads together and make sure that even if we don’t attend to a road at this particular time, be rest assured that we will be coming.”
Zinara board chairperson Dr George Manyaya said with the direction and guidance from Minister Mhona, they had come up with an innovative funding mechanism whereby every week they have been disbursing funds to road authorities.
“I want to assure all Zimbabweans that as Zinara and in collaboration with the fiscus, we have funding to continue doing the road rehabilitation programme and it’s a continuous process which we are doing across the country and it will continue to be done like that. The funds are there and will make sure that we will continue providing them,” he said.
Minister Tawengwa said road rehabilitation was a clear demonstration of what can be achieved through focused planning, strategic investment and collaborative effort.
The chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development, Cde Knowledge Kaitano, applauded President Mnangagwa saying he had brought massive infrastructure development in the country.
“We can see the RGM International Airport, we are also seeing these roads in Harare, the highways, Beitbridge-Chirundu highway, we are seeing an impetus in the construction of our roads and also in the locations,.
He said they were happy that Government continues to allocate more funds to road rehabilitation.
The ceremony was also attended by Harare Metropolitan Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Charles Tawengwa, Mashonaland Central Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Christopher Magomo, and Zinara chief executive officer, Mr Nkosinathi Ncube.
Online Reporter