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Funding constraints delay Harare-Chirundu highway rehabilitation
17 hrs ago | Views
The much-needed rehabilitation of the Harare-Chirundu Highway has been delayed due to funding challenges, Transport Minister Felix Mhona has revealed. Addressing legislators in Parliament, Mhona assured them that his ministry is working on a financing model to ensure the project is completed.
"We cannot tap into the fiscus to complete this entire project, lest it takes time to complete," Mhona said. "So, we are finalising a funding modality for the whole stretch, which is Harare to Chirundu. Very soon, we will be finalising that funding model, where we want to address various sections simultaneously so that we do not start and stop."
The delay is the latest setback in Zimbabwe's broader road rehabilitation efforts, which have struggled to gain traction despite the launch of the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Project (ERRP) in 2021. The ERRP was introduced after President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared the country's roads a national disaster, yet poor workmanship and lack of funding have continued to hamper progress.
A large percentage of Zimbabwe's roads remain in poor condition, with recent rains exacerbating the situation, leaving many highways riddled with potholes.
Mhona acknowledged that the Harare-Chirundu Highway project had missed several deadlines but insisted that his ministry was committed to completing the road. He noted that relying solely on budget allocations would significantly slow down the project.
"In terms of the budgeted amount in the blue book, like I indicated, we are talking of a 350km stretch of the road," Mhona said. "The approach that we want to take in this particular project is not just to operate within the confines of what has been budgeted. If we wait for what has been allocated in the budget only, it means we will operate and wait for another allocation."
To expedite the project, Mhona emphasized the need for alternative funding sources beyond the national budget.
"We cannot wait for the fiscus," he added. "What is in the budget will augment the initiatives that we are taking as a ministry."
The government is now under pressure to secure funding and fast-track road works, as deteriorating infrastructure continues to pose risks to motorists and hamper economic activity.
"We cannot tap into the fiscus to complete this entire project, lest it takes time to complete," Mhona said. "So, we are finalising a funding modality for the whole stretch, which is Harare to Chirundu. Very soon, we will be finalising that funding model, where we want to address various sections simultaneously so that we do not start and stop."
The delay is the latest setback in Zimbabwe's broader road rehabilitation efforts, which have struggled to gain traction despite the launch of the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Project (ERRP) in 2021. The ERRP was introduced after President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared the country's roads a national disaster, yet poor workmanship and lack of funding have continued to hamper progress.
A large percentage of Zimbabwe's roads remain in poor condition, with recent rains exacerbating the situation, leaving many highways riddled with potholes.
Mhona acknowledged that the Harare-Chirundu Highway project had missed several deadlines but insisted that his ministry was committed to completing the road. He noted that relying solely on budget allocations would significantly slow down the project.
"In terms of the budgeted amount in the blue book, like I indicated, we are talking of a 350km stretch of the road," Mhona said. "The approach that we want to take in this particular project is not just to operate within the confines of what has been budgeted. If we wait for what has been allocated in the budget only, it means we will operate and wait for another allocation."
To expedite the project, Mhona emphasized the need for alternative funding sources beyond the national budget.
"We cannot wait for the fiscus," he added. "What is in the budget will augment the initiatives that we are taking as a ministry."
The government is now under pressure to secure funding and fast-track road works, as deteriorating infrastructure continues to pose risks to motorists and hamper economic activity.
Source - newsday
