Online Reporter
Welcome to our live coverage from Charles Prince Airport in Mount Hampden, where Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona is set to lead a high-level delegation on a guided tour.
The visit comes as the airport prepares for a transformative upgrade to meet international standards, positioning it as a key aviation hub alongside Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.
Stay with us as our reporter Freeman Razemba and Photographer Charles Muchakagara bring you real-time updates, exclusive interviews, and on-the-ground insights into the government’s ambitious plans to modernise Zimbabwe’s aviation infrastructure.
Stakeholders fully behind airport expansion
Minister Mhona is accompanied by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka; Airports Company of Zimbabwe (Private) Limited (ACZ) board chairperson Advocate Tichaona John Muhonde; ACZ chief executive officer Mr Tawanda Gusha; and other government officials.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development is set to donate land to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development for the expansion of the airport.
Ministry of Lands donate 300 hectares for airport expansion
The Ministers are currently touring the airport after receiving a briefing from officials from the Surveyor General’s Office.
During the tour, Minister Masuka revealed that his ministry has made available approximately 300 hectares for the airport expansion, which is set to commence soon.
Minister Masuka highlights feasibility of Charles Prince Airport development
In an interview, Minister Masuka stated, “The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Minister Felix Mhona, was directed by the President to approach this ministry, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, to identify land suitable for the expansion of Charles Prince Airport into an international airport.
“We sent a team to conduct a preliminary feasibility study, and today we wanted to assess whether that land is indeed suitable. We have identified just over 300 hectares to add to the current 171 hectares of Charles Prince, and we believe this is suitable for the expansion.
“The next stage is to coordinate with the Surveyor General and the Department of Lands Management so that we can finalise this by next week. This will enable us to hand over the land so that development can commence. It is a project that we support,” he said.
New runways planned as part of Charles Prince Airport development
Minister Mhona also said they had already started embarking on the project, beginning with the feasibility studies.
“We are here today with my colleague Minister Dr. Masuka just to fulfil the desires of our great leader, Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, who has directed us to move and execute this project of Charles Prince expansion with speed. As you know, we have Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, which is quite small in terms of the vision of our great leader, and therefore, we want to have an airport that will be able to accommodate two or three runways.
“We are happy, and I want to thank my colleague Minister who has also heeded what His Excellency said and availed land that falls under the purview of Zvimba Rural District. We are pleased that we have now seen the land and have a roadmap for when the land is going to be processed in terms of the Surveyor General and thereafter handed over to the ministry. We are happy that, with speed, you will see us embarking on this project, which we are already starting with the feasibility study, working closely with the contractor who had the mandate of reconstructing Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.
“And we are also going to continue in that trajectory. Not only that, to the people of Zimbabwe, we also have the Mutasa Rural District Council Airport that we are working on in tandem with this bigger vision of our great leader,” he said.
