Zinara disburses funds, fuel for maintenance

The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) has disbursed nearly 1.5 million liters of fuel and over Z$2.7 billion to support road maintenance and rehabilitation projects across the country. This substantial allocation, aimed at empowering road authorities, is part of Zinara's strategic commitment to enhance Zimbabwe's road infrastructure through funds generated from vehicle licensing and road toll fees.

The fuel provision is an additional resource beyond Zinara's regular financial transfers to councils and road authorities. It is designated for use in critical roadworks, from transporting materials to powering graders on remote roads. Authorities are required to account for the fuel received, in line with the transparency measures applied to monetary disbursements.

Zinara board chairperson, Dr. George Manyaya, confirmed the support, highlighting the capacity-building efforts to ensure effective project implementation. He noted that previously, many road authorities lacked sufficient financial capacity, technical skills, and training. Zinara has since introduced bi-annual conferences and training sessions focused on project acquittals and management.

"So what also happened is that we are now engaging all the road authorities; we are working together. And I must say now that 91 percent, if you look at the schedule that we have come up with, 91 percent are technically-enabled and they have improved," Dr. Manyaya said.

With this structured support, Zinara aims to ensure that road authorities are fully equipped to execute road rehabilitation projects effectively, enhancing Zimbabwe's transport infrastructure and ensuring accountability for all resources disbursed.