Roads upgrade continues across Zimbabwe except in Matebeleland

The rehabilitation of roads across the country under the Emergency Roads Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP) is continuing, with citizens praising the Second Republic for transforming the road network.

Works on many roads are at various stages of completion, in a development that has reduced the cost of travelling for people living in rural areas, while also allowing motorists to save huge sums of money they have been spending on vehicle repairs, especially the suspension.

In Kariba, road network has been significantly transformed in the last two years under ERRP, with three roads in the town being tarred.

Other roads have had potholes patched, while rehabilitation of damaged verges has been undertaken.

Work continues on Gadzi Road, which is one of the busiest roads in Kariba.

The road linking Nyamhunga and Gadzi roads, has been tarred, together with the one linking Nyamhunga Road and Nyamhunga 3 Township.

A stretch in Nyamhunga 1 Township has equally been tarred after the badly damaged surface was scrapped off.

A Kariba Municipality official said reasonable ground had been covered and only a few stretches remained.

"Work is progressing well with teams currently working on Gadzi Road to rehabilitate road shoulders," said the official who is not authorised to speak to the media. "In essence, we are covering every pothole and fixing most of the damaged shoulders in town."

Residents have welcomed the upgrading and rehabilitation of the roads.

Mr Augustine Taonameso said he was grateful for Government's intervention to repair the roads.

"I have lived in Kariba for a very long time and I haven't seen roads being fixed in a long time," he said. "I am happy with what is happening, but we now fear for our children as motorists are now speeding on the good roads. We appeal for speed humps."

Another resident, Mrs Jenifer Jasi, commended Government for fixing roads and urged motorists to drive safely.

In Beitbridge, town clerk Mr Loud Ramakgapola said the road linking the main highway and the hospital would be completed at the end of this month.

He said the contractor was finishing up on drainage before moving on to the surface marking.

"The road linking Shule-Shule and the rank area will be completed in July," he said. "We had a feedback meeting with the contractors this week.

"The roads in the low-density suburbs are being fixed by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development and we understand they are left with surface marking.

"As a council, we are set to complete a 200-metre stretch on Hagelthorn Road by the end of next week. The material is already on-site."

Mr Ramakgapola said they had also tendered for the construction of eight more roads to be constructed under the same programme this year, with contractors expected to move on-site next month.

In Chikomba District, in Mashonaland East province, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister, Felix Mhona, recently said the completion of the Wedza-Sadza Road, which is left with 10km, was a Government priority.

"We know the challenges in this district regarding roads which have to be fixed, including the Wedza-Sadza Road which we have to complete," he said last weekend while addressing Zanu-PF supporters at a mass mobilisation meeting at Sadza Growth Point.

Efforts are underway to ensure all roads were fixed before the coming rain season.

In Harare, many roads have been repaired after the Government realised that waiting for the opposition-run Harare City Council to fix them was not yielding results.