Roads rehabilitation gobble $76 billion in 9 months

NEARLY $76 billion has been disbursed to road authorities towards rehabilitation of the country’s road network between January and September this year with over $5 billion going to the Southern region provinces, the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara), has said.

There are four road authorities in Zimbabwe and these are the Department of Roads under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, the Rural Infrastructural Development Agency (Rida), formerly District Development Fund and rural and urban local authorities.

While Zinara has the mandate to collect road user fees and disburse these to road authorities, stakeholders have said that the allocations availed are not enough.

Motorists and local authority officials have noted that more road works need to be financed, especially in Matabeleland provinces where most roads leading to districts such as Nkayi and Tsholotsho are in a deplorable state.

According to a disbursement notice for the nine-month period published by Zinara yesterday, the Department of Roads is the biggest recipient after being allocated nearly $27 billion followed by RIDA, which got $25 billion while urban and rural local authorities got $14 billion and $8 billion respectively.

Bulawayo metropolitan province, whose entire road network needs an overhaul, received $752,4 million while Matabeleland North province with seven rural district councils and three urban councils, was allocated $1,019 billion with $598,6 million going to rural district councils while the three urban councils shared $420,8 million.

Hwange Rural District Council got the largest chunk among RDCs as it got $161,3 million followed by Bubi at $124,6 million, Binga and Nkayi RDCs got the least amounts of slightly over $28 million.

Hwange town received $305 million followed by the city of Victoria Falls, which got $97 million while Lupane town board was allocated $19 million.

Matabeleland North Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Cde Richard Moyo said the province’s priority roads were the Bulawayo-Nkayi, Bulawayo-Tsholotsho and Khami Road that leads to Khami Prison Complex from Bulawayo.

“We expect a speedy completion of works on the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road, which is a national priority but as a province, our three priority roads are the Bulawayo-Nkayi, Bulawayo-Tsholotsho and Bulawayo -Khami Prisons roads,” he said.

Public transport operator plying the Bulawayo-Tsholotsho Road, Mr Parliament Mlingo said while he welcomes the fund disbursement, more should have been allocated to speed up road works.

“Public transporters are feeling the pinch with the state of this road, which affects the travelling public as some transporters either abandon the route completely or hike fares to meet repair costs,” he said.

Bubi Rural District Council chief executive officer Dr Patson Mlilo said: “We are thankful for what has been allocated to the province but it could have been more given the scope of work that is outstanding, especially on the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road.”

Bulawayo City Council assistant director of engineering services Engineer Methusi Dibidi concurred saying the council needs about US$15 million to improve its road network.

“The money is not enough given the cost of rehabilitating roads,” said Eng Dibidi.

The Zinara schedule also shows that the Midlands province got a total of $4 billion for its eight rural district councils and six urban councils. Chirumanzu RDC is the biggest beneficiary with $638 million followed by Zibagwe, which received $616 million. Gweru City Council has nearly a billion dollars being set aside for its road network while Zvishavane got $178 million.

Masvingo province got $253 million in total road rehabilitation funds with its two urban councils, Chiredzi and Masvingo City getting $70 million while its seven rural district councils will share $183 million.

Matabeleland South province received $1,1 billion and of this amount, its rural district councils received $657 million while urban councils got $478 million.

Beitbridge Rural District Council received $21 million, Bulilima RDC $21 million, Gwanda RDC $152 million, Insiza RDC $24 million, Mangwe RDC $40 million, Matobo RDC $177 million while Umzingwane received $219 million. Beitbridge Town Council received $177 million, Gwanda Municipality received $198 million while Plumtree Town Council received $103 million.

Gwanda Rural District chief executive officer, Mr Ranganai Sibanda, said Zinara funds will enable the council to rehabilitate roads as well as undertake routine maintenance works.

“Using the Zinara and devolution funds as well as funds from our coffers, we have managed to carry out road reconstruction and routine maintenance works,” he said.

Mr Sibanda however said there is still a lot which needs to be done hence more money was needed for road rehabilitation.

“We need to buy our own road construction plant and equipment to cut on costs because at the moment we rely on contractors which is expensive,” he said.

Mr Sibanda said at times Zinara takes long to disburse money and this delays implementation of projects.

Gwanda mayor, Clr Thulani Moyo said while they appreciate the funds, the money disbursed was not enough.

“There is a need for more funds for road maintenance especially during the rainy season when roads are damaged by rains. Our town is along the Bulawayo- Beitbridge Highway and we have a lot of haulage trucks that pass through,” he said.

Since coming into power in 2017, President Mnangagwa has prioritisedy infrastructure development which include roads and bridges construction.

Despite the continued imposition of sanctions, which frustrates private financing of major projects, the Government has succeeded in pushing key milestones under the Emergency Roads Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP).

To date more than 50 000km of roads have been rehabilitated and reconstructed while 2 000 structures have been attended to since the start of the ERRP2 in 2021 under a sustained road and infrastructure development drive by the Second Republic.-chronice