Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
CONSTRUCTION of the Christmas Pass Bypass Road has resumed following a break in heavy rains, with Government engineers confirming the project is now 27 percent complete.
Optimism is growing that the transformative infrastructure will be finished within the next 12 months, easing congestion and improving road safety in Mutare.
Manicaland Provincial Roads Engineer, Engineer Raphael Sigauke, said on Wednesday that work is in full swing, with significant progress already made. Road bed preparation, subgrade works, culvert crossings, and major earthworks — including cutting, filling, and road formation — are underway, alongside the installation of concrete culverts.
Road bed preparation involves clearing, excavating, filling, and grading the construction area to create a stable base, while subgrade preparation compacts and trims the top layer to support the pavement.
These steps form the foundation of a durable road, ensuring even weight distribution and preventing erosion or cracking.
The bypass, designed to divert heavy haulage trucks from the accident-prone Christmas Pass curves, will stretch 31,2 kilometres. Of this, 26 kilometres will be newly built, while six kilometres will incorporate existing routes, including Park Road.
A toll plaza will be established along the route to help recover construction costs.
The project also includes the long-awaited revamp of the Sakubva (Murahwa) People’s Green Market Bridge.
In addition, two modern traffic interchanges — similar to Harare’s Trabablas Interchange — will be constructed at both ends of the bypass to enhance safety and efficiency.
Engineer Sigauke noted that 80 percent of the new stretch has already been cleared, paving the way for full-scale construction.
“We are currently still doing clearance for the road. We are opening road clearance and road formation as well as backfilling to get to the level of the road for construction. So by the end of March 2027, the roads, flyovers and bridges will all have been completed. The overall completion will be on time, and we are not expecting any delays from now onward,” said Engineer Sigauke.
He said the bypass road will measure 12,5 metres in width and consist of two lanes designed in such a way that allows four vehicles to pass simultaneously, significantly improving traffic efficiency along the corridor and fundamentally reshape traffic flow patterns in Mutare.
The development of the road was necessitated by the high accident rate on the Christmas Pass curves, where haulage trucks carrying heavy loads often struggle to descend the steep slopes, resulting in brake failure and jack-knifes.
Engineer Sigauke said most trucks passing through Mutare using the Beira Corridor will be destined for Mozambique, the Port of Beira, as well as Zambia, Malawi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – and hardly a week passes without an accident recorded along the steep and sharp Christmas Pass curves.
“In terms of improving traffic flow and safety in Mutare, especially around Christmas Pass, the bypass road will channel all trucks from Christmas Pass so they use the bypass. We noticed that accidents are happening mostly with trucks due to brake failure and failure to negotiate curves.
“It will solve those issues as the bypass road will have no sharp curves and no steep gradient. The bypass road is relatively flat, that is the design.
“It eliminates both brake failure and sharp curves,” said Engineer Sigauke, adding that the project will also eliminate several notorious accident hotspots within Mutare’s urban stretch.
“There will no longer be any congestion due to trucks or slow-moving trucks along the Christmas Pass Road. The bypass road will also eliminate red zones like the ‘Welcome to Mutare’ sign area, Zuva Service Station, Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital and the roundabout area, which are currently red accident zones,” he said.
The Christmas Pass Bypass Road project is a major infrastructure development by the Second Republic aimed at improving road safety and enhancing the movement of goods and people in Manicaland, particularly along the busy corridor linking Zimbabwe to Mozambique.
The project is being implemented through a partnership between Government and Leengate Private Limited.
Construction work, which began in August 2025, have continued progressing steadily despite intermittent weather-related disruptions experienced earlier in the project timeline.
Engineer Sigauke also addressed concerns over possible disruptions to residents, motorists and institutions along the construction corridor, particularly around areas such as Mutare Teachers’ College.
He said most sections of the bypass are being developed in areas where there are no existing roads, thereby minimising disruptions.
“Most sections at the bypass are in areas where there are no roads, so there are no disruptions there. However, when doing the flyovers, we will put detours at Christmas Pass and at Romeos which will be tarred detours.
For Park Road and Mutare Teachers’ College, we will close certain portions and channel traffic to certain sections.
The implementation of temporary detours and phased closures is expected to ensure that traffic flow is maintained while critical components such as flyovers and interchanges are constructed. Once complete, the bypass is set to dramatically reduce congestion within Mutare, particularly during peak hours when heavy trucks are slowing down traffic along the steep Christmas Pass route,” he said, adding that the project is also expected to enhance the overall road network in the eastern border city, positioning Mutare as a more efficient gateway for regional and international trade.
