THE Government has reiterated its commitment to infrastructure rehabilitation as a cornerstone of national development, with works now underway on the long-awaited upgrade of the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls Highway.
This comes as the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) held its ninth Annual General Meeting in Harare this Monday, announcing a 36 % growth in revenue collections.
The agency collected ZiG$8.9 billion in 2024, with ZiG$4 billion disbursed to various road authorities.
Speaking on the sidelines of the AGM, the Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Honourable Joshua Sacco, confirmed that five contractors have already been deployed on the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls corridor.
“I think you can see our work plan is covering all provinces, all districts. We are very happy to report that work has commenced on Victoria Falls, Bulawayo road, which has been an issue that has needed to be sorted out for some time due to the high levels of traffic. It is a very important route for tourism from southbound, and northbound traffic coming from the north, coming from the south, from South Africa, literally to Victoria Falls as a tourism resort. We are happy to say that so far five contractors are now on the ground and sections have been split up for the different contractors,” he said.
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development, represented by its Chairperson, Mr Tawanda Karikoga, commended ZINARA for supporting local and provincial road authorities.
“ZINARA has been very proactive in ensuring that road infrastructure is improved across the country. We are encouraged by the funding extended to both local and rural authorities,” he said.
ZINARA Chief Executive Officer, Mr Nkosinathi Ncube, said the agency is working on enhancing its monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, particularly to ensure that disbursed funds are used effectively.
“Capacitation of road authorities is a key focus. Many councils both rural and urban lack adequate equipment, which delays road works. We are working to address this so that municipalities can respond quickly and efficiently,” he explained.
Mandated to collect road user fees and disburse funds for the maintenance and development of Zimbabwe’s road infrastructure, ZINARA continues to play a pivotal role in the Second Republic’s infrastructure development agenda, which is aligned with Vision 2030.
