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Esinathy Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter
THE Bulawayo-Nkayi road rehabilitation and resurfacing has resumed following the release of US$1.5 million by Treasury to facilitate the project.

This major facelift begins from the 44km peg where the last works were done in 2011 and will stretch to Mbembesi Bridge.

The Government has declared the project as one of the top priorities in Matabeleland North Province this year.

The project is facilitated by the ongoing Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP) being spearheaded by Government through the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara), an initiative meant to rehabilitate the country’s road network that had been extensively damaged.

The Bulawayo-Nkayi road has for a very long time been a huge concern with not much being done but all that is now set to be a thing of the past.

Works along the Bulawayo-Nkayi road are well on course with indications that the targeted areas will be completed by the end of the year.

The road that had been left in a terrible state for decades received a glimmer of hope following a visit to the area by President Emmerson Mnangagwa earlier in the year.

Appreciating the needs on the ground, President Mnangagwa immediately promised that something would be urgently done to address its condition.

To date, the $3.5 million high level Ingwigwizi River Bridge construction — along the same road — is at 60 percent with indications that motorists will soon experience a more spacious carriageway even with the impending rainy season that usually results in the flooding of the area and traffic failing to cross.

Recently, Matabeleland North Provincial Road Engineer, Engineer Joseph Makokove, while describing the project as being well-funded following the disbursement of the whole amount needed for the construction work, stressed that all works will be completed by the end of the year according to the set deadlines.

He said they hoped to get about $50 million annually for the province for the next three to four years to complete all roads and bridge rehabilitation projects. So far for this year, under the new dispensation, he said, the department has received $21 million from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development compared to the $3 million they received last year.

The newly-elected legislator for Bubi, Cde Sonny Mguni, said they are grateful to the new dispensation for prioritising, for the first time, the rehabilitation of the road, which had taken over 20 years to complete.

“I am glad to see that the woks have begun and I hope this project will be finished on time. We are tired of using that damaged strip road. Infrastructure development is key,” he said.

“The dilapidated road has been hindering other development projects in the district since most of the areas were not easily accessible. I hope this will attract investments too.”

Construction of the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road began in 1993 and was supposed to be completed by 1999 and this has been at the centre of debate over the structural underdevelopment of Matabeleland.

Presently, less than 50km of the nearly 170km Bulawayo-Nkayi road has been widened and resurfaced. — @esinathy_essira.