Some companies tender for road rehabilitation without capacity to deliver: Minister Mhona

Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Felix Mhona, has revealed that many companies awarded road rehabilitation contracts lack the capacity to execute the work - resulting in delays and incomplete projects across the country.

Mhona was responding to questions raised in Parliament by Chiredzi Central legislator, Ropafadzo Makumire.

"The programme under the Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction Programme (DRRP), which the Ministry initiated after Cyclone Idai, has not been completed. These roads span the entire country, and some contractors have not been paid. What measures has the Government put in place to complete the roads and pay the service providers?" Makumire asked.

In response, Mhona acknowledged that many service providers may not have been paid when they began work, but emphasized that the Ministry is now addressing the issue differently.

"The majority of contractors tender for road development without the capacity to complete the work. Some assumed they wouldn't be awarded the contracts. We no longer accept bids from companies that cannot provide upfront funding. It is now a requirement that contractors commence work using their own resources. In the past, many were awarded contracts beyond their capacity, leading to abandoned projects and the need to re-tender," Mhona explained.

He added that for projects that have stalled, the Ministry is now working on a province-by-province basis to ensure completion.

"For those we owe, we engage them directly and develop a payment plan. As the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, we are committed to ensuring our stakeholders understand how we intend to settle outstanding debts," he said.