Harare pledges to finally fix (some of) its pothole-ridden roads

IN Zimbabwe's capital of Harare, potholed roads have become a symbol of more than 20 years of national decline and neglect of public services.

Motorists must weave down roads and often encroach onto oncoming traffic lanes to avoid the craters. Even SUVs risk damaged suspensions, cracked rims and burst tires. Though a daily hazard for motorists, potholes in the city are even more dangerous after heavy rains, when standing water hides them.

But for some 40 roads, that could soon change. The government has pledged to fix the streets before it hosts the Southern African Development Community summit in August. The city of some 1,6 million people first held the meeting in 1999.

At the gathering of 16 heads of State, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to take over leadership of the regional bloc from Angola. Mnangagwa told journalists earlier this week on the sidelines of a United Nations Economic Commission for Africa conference that he expects to see "a record of excellence" on how his country will host the meeting.

As part of the preparations for the upcoming Southern African Development Community (Sadc) summit, the Transport and Infrastructural Development ministry said in a statement that it has been "tasked with constructing and rehabilitating road infrastructure to facilitate efficient and smooth flow of the delegates and the citizenry during the summit."

Transport minister, Felix Mhona, did not immediately respond to a call to his mobile phone and a text message sent seeking comment on the costs.

Zimbabwe's economy has been in meltdown for more than two decades, saddled with an US$18 billion debt after defaulting on its loans in 1999. As a result, it has had no access to lines of credit for over 20 years which has left the country unable to maintain its infrastructure, which has sunk into decay. Repairs to dilapidated roads, bridges and dams must be funded via the national budget.

Treasury allocated ZWL$1,4 trillion (US$85 million) for road works this year, according to the 2024 budget document on its website.

The ministry set a July 31 deadline to complete the repairs, which include the widening of some roads as well as fitting new streetlights and landscaping.

Motorists in Harare often endure dimly lit roads at night, and most traffic lights don't work. Traffic police and Harare city council workers are a common sight on busy intersections during morning and evening peak hours directing traffic.

The investment in road renewal in Harare is rare, good news in the southern African nation, which otherwise suffers from the widespread collapse of everything from the health sector to basic services. Refuse collection is erratic, and the supply of running water is unreliable. Most northern suburbs in the city have gone for years without access to running tap water.

As a result, Harare periodically is the epicentre of cholera outbreaks, despite an ongoing vaccination programme to contain the disease. The latest cholera surge also affected neighbouring countries including South Africa and Zambia.