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Potholes on the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway

Patrick Chitumba/Leonard Ncube, Chronicle Reporters
THE Government has released $4 million for the immediate patching of potholes and resurfacing of the Beitbridge-Victoria Falls as well as the Beitbridge-Harare highways.

The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Dr Joram Gumbo, yesterday said his Ministry had been allowed to access the $4 million from the Road Access Fund for the programme.

Addressing a meeting of road authorities in Gweru yesterday, Dr Gumbo said the two highways would each get $2 million for the programme.

He said the two highways were in a dire state and work on road edges, patching potholes and resurfacing was required.

Dr Gumbo said the programme was different from the $3 billion dualisation programme of the Beitbridge-Chirundu Highway.

“We’ve been allowed to access the Road Access Fund. We got $4 million for the immediate rehabilitation of Beitbridge- Victoria Falls and Beitbridge–Harare highways. Government officials are working on the modalities right now. The two roads are in a very bad state, they are full of potholes which need to be covered as well as resurfacing,” he said.

Zinara board chairperson Mr Albert Mugabe told The Chronicle that they had informed the Executive about the bad state of the roads.

“I spoke to the Permanent Secretary (Munesu Munodawafa) and as we speak there will be activity any day from now,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Gumbo said the dualisation of the Beitbridge-Chirundu highway would start as soon as President Mugabe commissions the ground-breaking ceremony this term.

He said foreign firms awarded tenders for the dualisation programme had                                       started bringing in their equipment and funds to be used in the multi-billion dollar programme.

“On a positive note, the dualisation of the Beitbridge-Chirundu highway is starting in earnest as soon as President Mugabe officiates at the ground-breaking ceremony very soon.

“Everything is in place as we speak and the contractors are bringing in their machinery and funds,” Dr Gumbo said.

He said 40 percent of the project was going to be handled by locals.

The Minister said from Beitbridge to Chirundu, the road was going to be divided into five segments which will see locals in those particular segments benefiting in terms of labour and in some cases provision of other materials.

“The government is saying 40 percent of the job will be given to locals, it will be done by locals. So the local people and rural district councils in those areas should brace themselves to play a part in this programme that is also expected to empower locals. Advertisements will be released soon and we hope thousands of locals will be employed or benefit from this programme,” said Dr Gumbo.

— @pchitumba1