Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway collapse becomes national disgrace

The deteriorating state of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway has become a national scandal, exposing Zimbabwe's infrastructure decay under Zanu-PF rule. Once a vital link between the country's second-largest city and its premier tourist destination, Victoria Falls, the highway has now crumbled into near non-existence, forcing motorists to drive along dusty bush tracks to avoid its hazardous surface.

The collapse of the highway symbolizes the broader failure of governance, with the deterioration of roads, hospitals, and basic services standing as an indictment of both late former President Robert Mugabe and his successor, President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Critics argue that Zanu-PF's leadership and policy failures have left Zimbabwe looking like a nation struck by natural disasters rather than one mismanaged by political incompetence.

Zanu-PF Senator and former minister Prisca Mupfumira has also voiced her concerns, admitting that the road is now beyond repair and an embarrassment to the nation. "People are no longer driving on the road itself, but on the bushy edges. It's a disgrace to Zimbabwe and the world," she said.

The highway's collapse has had dire economic and safety implications, particularly for tourism and trade. Victoria Falls, a globally recognized travel destination, continues to draw international visitors, yet the road leading there is a death trap, making travel difficult and unsafe.

Despite numerous promises from the government to rehabilitate the highway, no tangible progress has been made, leaving citizens frustrated and questioning where national resources are being directed. With elections on the horizon, the worsening state of infrastructure is expected to be a major issue, further highlighting the failures of the ruling party.

For now, Zimbabweans and tourists alike must navigate a crumbling highway that stands as a stark reminder of the country's prolonged crisis.