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Nqobile Bhebhe, [email protected]

VICE President Chiwenga has said Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls and Bulawayo-Nkayi roads should be rehabilitated with urgency as the Government has approved all development plans.

VP Chiwenga said the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development was tasked with ensuring that plans are crafted and presented to the Government.

He was giving his keynote address at the ongoing second edition of the Africa Infrastructure and Built Environment Confex (AfriConfex) conference in Bulawayo. The conference is held under the theme “Resilient Cities, Thriving Africa: Building Sustainable Infrastructure for Economic Growth.

“The transport ministry must work hard to ensure the projects are undertaken soon.

“They have presented plans to Cabinet and they have been approved and they must be implemented.

“With roads, there will be development,” said Dr Chiwenga.

Proper roads are seen as key economic enablers, which should help Zimbabwe’s drive towards the attainment of Vision 2030 of an empowered upper-middle income economy. Under the Infrastructure, Utilities and Digital Economy cluster, Zimbabwe’s economic blueprint, the National Development Strategy (NDS 1) prioritises the completion of road rehabilitation projects.

The Beitbridge-Bulawayo Victoria Falls Highway is a strategic trade route on the regional north-to-south corridor, linking Zimbabwe with South Africa, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia as well as the DRC.

The Government declared the state of road infrastructure in the country a state of emergency following heavy and destructive rains.