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Nqobile Tshili, [email protected]

ZWANE Enterprise, the investor behind the upgrading of Old Gwanda Road, has roped in eight companies that will be involved in the construction of the 120KM stretch with President Mnangagwa expected to lead the project’s groundbreaking ceremony in two weeks’ time.

The ambitious road construction project will cost about US$150 million including the road furniture while part of the funds will cater for the construction of new homesteads for affected families.

A total of 42 homesteads will be moved while 24 graves will be relocated to pave the way for the road construction.
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development last month signed a concession agreement with Zwane Enterprise, giving the investor greenlight to start the construction of the road.

Before moving in the yellow machinery on site, Zwane Enterprise, which won an unsolicited bid to rehabilitate the road, will today and tomorrow host a traditional ceremony and a church service within the road’s route.

Vice-President Kembo Mohadi is expected to lead a traditional ceremony service in Dula, Umzingwane District today, as part of community’s beliefs before the major project is commenced.

He will lead the Christian service at Matopo Mission’s Brethren in Christ Church, tomorrow.
Zwane Enterprise executive, Engineer Bekithemba Mbambo, told a press briefing that after the spiritual sessions, the next important item will be the groundbreaking ceremony.

“On the 12th of March we are going to have the big one, the groundbreaking ceremony where the President is expected to grace us as the guest of honour,” he said.
“We wish to start the road soon after ground breaking and we hope to finish most of it this year. We have been given 18 months

within which to finish the road,” said Eng Mbambo.
“However, the rainy season will also determine when we will start. There is no road work being done during the rainy season.

I’m sure all road construction in the country is on hold until after the end of the rainy season.”
Eng Mbambo said his company is taking a leaf from the Government, which contracted several companies in the construction of the Beitbridge-Harare-Chirundu Highway.

He said engaging multiple contractors will enable the company to complete the road within the shortest period with each contractor expected to do an average 20km.

“We are finalising the contracts with the contractors. But at the moment it is almost cast in stone, which companies we will be working with. I can say on the main road we have seven companies,” said Eng Mbambo.

“Most of the companies will be doing around 20KM, but there are two, which will have less. There is a stretch of 20km where there are two companies mainly because the baseline company can only do roadworks and can’t do surfacing. So, because we wanted to work with that company, we had to work with another company to finish for them.”

He said seven companies will work on the highway while another will rehabilitate feeder roads. Eng Mbambo assured the public that his company will produce a high-quality concrete asphalt road and contracted companies will only be paid after producing a project of satisfactory results.

“We don’t want to do a poor-quality road that will cost us a lot in maintenance. If we do a poor-quality road, it will hit us in our pockets. So, in terms of quality assurance there are several layers,” said Eng Mbambo.
“The basic one is to make sure that we don’t pay any contractor who has not done proper quality. We will be paying them in stages and if the stage is not up to quality, we will not pay them,” said Eng Mbambo.

He said the company has also inserted a performance guarantee clause on the contract, which determines that contracted companies will be held accountable for the quality of the road they produce.

“On top of that there will be an independent engineer who will be appointed by the ministry to ensure the quality is up to standard,” said Eng Mambo. “We are very sure that we will do a good quality road. Old Gwanda Road rehabilitation is a massive project, it’s the first of its kind in Zimbabwe where a private company is being awarded to upgrade from a dead road to highway and also manage for a 25-period depending on the payback period,” he said.

“In this project, we will be working hand in glove with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, to make sure that we deliver a quality project and ensure that different stakeholders are happy.”

The road construction is expected to trigger local economic development while unlocking the tourism potential for Matabeleland South.