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Oliver Kazunga Senior Business Reporter
WORK on the $800 million upgrading of the Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway has begun with a feasibility study for the Beitbridge-Bulawayo stretch set for completion in the first quarter of next year, a senior government official said yesterday.
Officially opening the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) board and management strategic planning workshop in Bulawayo, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Munesu Munodawafa, said the massive rehabilitation of one of the country’s busiest roads was a priority aimed at fulfilling the government’s vision to establish worldclass road infrastructure.

He said this was spelt out in the government’s new economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-economic Transformation (Zim-Asset).

“The upgrading of Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls requires an estimated $820 million and the figure can be broken down to $380 million to do Beitbridge-Bulawayo highway and $440 million for Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway,” said Munodawafa.

“The feasibility study for the portion from Beitbridge to Bulawayo is already underway and expected to be complete within the first quarter of next year.”

He said the feasibility study would assist in determining the scope of the work that needs to be done to bring the country’s roads to worldclass standards. “The feasibility study will assist us in determining the scope of work and assessment of the current roads. It’s through this feasibility study that we’ll be able to decide whether the highway needs just to be dualised or widened or both,” said Munodawafa.

He said the government was also looking forward to rehabilitating the Beitbridge-Harare highway with about $928 million required under the minimum scope while dualisation of the road needs an estimated $1,3 billion.

Once the feasibility studies are completed, said Munodawafa, the government through the State Procurement Board would flight tenders for the projects.

He told the Zinara board and management that his ministry had a vision to put the country as a regional hub of worldclass infrastructure and service.

“Our vision is derived from the shape of Southern Africa. The country is strategically positioned that rail, road and air transport systems in Southern Africa have to pass through Zimbabwe. So, in that context as government we’re saying how do we leverage on our God-given Zimbabwe?” added Munodawafa.

“As a ministry that’s why we’re also putting a lot of effort on three major airports that is Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, not to say we’re ignoring other airports.

“This is also the same with rail transport; we’re looking at making sure that the National Railways of Zimbabwe starts ticking.”

The permanent secretary said the $206 million loan facility from the Development Bank of Southern Africa was being used to finance the upgrading of the Bulawayo-Mutare highway, which is nearing completion.

“I’ve been asked so many questions even in parliament ‘why did you decide to start with Plumtree-Mutare highway?’ Firstly, Plumtree road passes through eight provinces and the second key issue is that the road is the only one that connects all our cities except Masvingo and that road is critical for intra-national connectivity,” he said.

Munodawafa expressed optimism the funding for rehabilitation of other highways such as one of the country’s busiest roads, Chirundu-Beitbridge, would be secured.

The highway links the country with countries to the north such as Zambia, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Close to $11 billion is required to rehabilitate the country’s road network.

Zimbabwe has a total of 85,208 km of road of which 18,431 km are state highways, 35,000 km of rural roads and 8,500 km under urban councils, among others.

The government collected $31 million in 2009 in tollgate fees, $60 million in 2010 and $81 million in 2011. The amount rose to $94 million in 2012 and $102 million last year.