Parliament lobbies for increased road budget amid Masvingo highway upgrades

MASVINGO - Parliamentary Portfolio Committee member on Transport and Infrastructural Development, Honourable Beatrice Nyamupinga, has vowed to lobby the Ministry of Finance for increased funding to accelerate road rehabilitation and construction projects across Zimbabwe.

Speaking during a media tour in Mwenezi on Wednesday, Nyamupinga stressed the urgency of timely roadworks completion, citing the need for adequate budget allocations to meet project deadlines and ease crippling congestion on major highways and urban routes.

"These projects aim to tackle chronic traffic delays affecting thousands of commuters daily. Some motorists face unnecessary hold-ups on single-carriageway routes, which disrupt business and productivity," Nyamupinga said.

She added: "We will lobby and engage the Finance Ministry to review allocations towards road construction and rehabilitation. Contractors need budgets that match the scale of work required to meet prescribed timeframes and ministry expectations."

Her remarks come amid ongoing upgrades along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway, including the Mucheke River Bridge, a new interchange, bypasses, and major road expansions.

Deputy Transport Minister Joshua Sacco, representing Minister Felix Mhona, applauded contractors Masimba, Fossil, Bitumen, and Exodus for their commitment to delivering quality infrastructure within set timelines.

"We appreciate the tireless efforts being made to ensure sections are completed to standard. These roads will boost trade, improve movement of goods and services, and enhance regional connectivity," Sacco said.

The Transport Ministry's broader infrastructure programme includes widening major roads, constructing interchanges, and establishing bypasses to ease congestion and improve traffic flow.

With some sections targeted for completion by year-end and others by mid-2026 - depending on weather conditions - the Masvingo–Beitbridge upgrade is seen as critical to Zimbabwe's Vision 2030 goals.

Under President Emmerson Mnangagwa's administration, infrastructure development remains a cornerstone of efforts to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy.

Nyamupinga's push for budget prioritisation signals Parliament's growing role in ensuring transport projects are adequately funded and efficiently delivered.