Transport Ministry requests $700 billion for projects

TRANSPORT and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona has called on parastatals that fall under his ministry to be innovative and come up with ways of complementing the Treasury in terms of funding infrastructure development.

He said doing so will speed up the implementation of key projects.

Minister Mhona tours Bulawayo roads – Luveve road

The minister’s sentiments come at a time when the Government is implementing massive infrastructure developmental projects, which have seen the construction and rehabilitation of dams and roads across the country.

Infrastructure development is one of the major key milestones of the National Development Strategy1 (NDS1) aimed at realising the country’s Vision 2030. Under the Second Republic Zimbabwe thus far, has done with the Government focusing on infrastructure development.

Great strides have been made so far and this is evident by the number of ongoing large infrastructure projects being constructed across the country.

In an interview on the sidelines of the end of year strategic plan workshop held at a local hotel in Bulawayo yesterday, Minister Mhona said Treasury has so many things to take care of such that at times it fails to allocate adequate funds.

“As a ministry we had requested over $700 billion to fund operations of the ministry that entails road operations, but as a ministry we got about $125 billion. That was our request, but what would be available in the pot determines what we get,” he said.

“That is why I was calling for innovative and progressive ways of supporting Treasury so that we don’t just go to the Treasury and queue for funding. When we talk of a budget, it’s not like there will be real cash, but that money has to be raised.”

Minister Mhona said there is need for his ministry to be proactive and support Treasury by coming up with innovative ways as a ministry.

Motorists negotiate another pothole littered section of Luveve Road in Bulawayo yesterday (Picture by Nkosizile Ndlovu)

Minister Mhona said great strides have been made in terms of road rehabilitation, which is key to economic growth.

“I acknowledge the strides made so far in terms of service delivery, a lot still needs to be done to satisfy the expectations of the Zimbabwean populace in the various sub-sectors under our purview, including roads, railway, inland waters and aviation,” he said.

“There has been tremendous in terms of road projects. Despite the delays caused by the heavy rains in the first quarter of the year and financial flow challenges being experienced across the economy, we have managed to maintain progress.”

He said by the end of last month, more than 350km of the rehabilitated Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Road had been completed.

Minister Mhona tours Bulawayo roads – Luveve road

“I would like to urge Department of Roads to finalise this section as it is Phase 1 of the Beitbridge-Harare-Chirundu Road, a major part of the North-South Corridor, with the view that we soon move to the second phase that is the Harare-Chirundu road,” said Minister Mhona.

Significant progress has been made in the ongoing rehabilitation of the Harare-Beitbridge Road that was once a death trap, but is now turning into a modern road under the watch of the Second Republic.

As of now a total of 354,47km along the Harare-Beitbridge Road has now been opened to traffic as the Government continues to make progress in the rehabilitation of the country’s roads under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme Phase 2 (ERRP2).

In the rehabilitation of the country’s roads, focus is not only on arterial highways but also those in suburbs that were abandoned by opposition-run councils for years.

A pothole littered section of Luveve Road in Matshobana suburb where residents and motorists have been making clarion calls for its rehabilitation. — Pictures by Nkosizile Ndlovu)

However, it is certainly the Harare-Beitbridge Road that has transformed the country road network infrastructure as it responds to modern demands, particularly traffic that comes through the modernised Beitbridge Border Post, a critical component of the North-South Corridor.

The plan is to rehabilitate the entire 897km Chirundu-Harare and Harare-Beitbridge roads, which forms part of the TransAfrica Highway (10 228km beginning in Cape Town and ending in Cairo).

Five local companies; Tensor Systems, Masimba Holdings, Fossil Contracting, Exodus & Company and Bitumen World, were contracted to upgrade the Harare-Beitbridge Highway.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and lnfrastructural Development Eng Theodius Chinyanga stresses a point to Minister Felix Mhona (right) during a tour of the badly damaged Luveve Road in Bulawayo yesterday. On the left is the Chief Director in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development Eng David Jana and Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube (2nd from right)

On rail transport, Minister Mhona said they have completed the feasibility study and detailed designs for the Lion’s Den to Kafue Railway Link.

“The construction of this line will see Zimbabwe having a competitive advantage as it will provide the shortest link for Zambia and DRC to Beira Port in Mozambique,” he said. – ebusinessweekly