Source: The Herald – Breaking news.
In an interview this week, Minister Mhona confirmed that the rehabilitation of the road was going to be conducted within 10 months. 
Freeman Razemba-Senior Reporter
TRANSPORT and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona has said the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road is expected to take 10 months and called for the nation to be patient as the work, which is expected to resume next month, starts.
Recently, the Government engaged seven more contractors to work on the rehabilitation of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road.
The seven firms join Bitumen World, which was initially awarded the tender to work on the 435km road which leads to the country’s premier tourism destination.
In an interview this week, Minister Mhona confirmed that the rehabilitation of the road was going to be conducted within 10 months.
He applauded President Mnangagwa for extending the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP 2) framework which complements the Road Development Programme.
“I would want to thank our visionary leader Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa who said we should find a solution and move in to rehabilitate the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road and we are not saying it is important than any other roads but it is mostly used by both locals and tourists who visit the Victoria Falls,” Minister Mhona said.
“So I would want to assure you that next month, in May, all the eight contractors will be on the ground carrying out the works and within 10 months we would have completed upgrading this road.”
Meanwhile, the Mbudzi Interchange in Harare, set to be named Trabablas Interchange on completion, is now over 90 percent complete and is set to be finalised by May 31, while the Government has since moved in to construct other major roads countrywide.
This US$88 million project, located at the intersection of Simon Mazorodze Road, Chitungwiza Road, and High Glen Road, is a key infrastructure development aimed at alleviating traffic congestion in southern Harare. It features 15 bridges, all of which have been completed.
The Mbudzi Interchange is expected to significantly improve traffic flow, reduce transit times, and minimise accidents in the area.
It is being funded through local financial institutions and executed by a joint venture of three local construction companies: Tensor Systems, Fossil Contracting, and Masimba Construction, operating under the banner of Tefoma Construction.
Minister Mhona recently said other major road projects, including the Harare-Beitbridge Highway, which has 88km remaining to be completed, were progressing well.
Contractors have already mobilised to finish this stretch, which includes 15 bridges, mini-interchanges at Rothmans and ZBC, and other critical infrastructure.
Construction of the Manyame River Bridge (Skyline) on Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Road is underway and the bridge is set to open to traffic by the end of June 2025.
According to the Ministry, rehabilitation works are now underway along Simon Mazorodze Road from the roundabout popularly known as Chinzou along Harare Drive in Houghton Park to Harare Main Post Office, part of the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge road upgrade project.
The motoring public has since been notified about the developments taking place. Surfacing is also in progress on a 19km stretch from Masvingo Urban towards Beitbridge, while subbase compaction is ongoing on an additional 3km stretch from Masvingo Urban.
Construction is underway in Mwenezi District on the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge road rehabilitation and upgrading project.
Bush clearing is in progress on the Harare-Mazowe Road dualisation project, while surfacing is now underway on the Birchenough-Murambinda Road construction project and surfacing works are underway on the Golden Valley Sanyati Road.
On the Kadoma-Chakari Road, asphalt concrete application is underway while re-gravelling of Kuwirirana Nemangwe Road in Gokwe is also being done.
Works on the Marondera-Hwedza road rehabilitation and upgrading project has also resumed while some of the emotional roads that are undergoing rehabilitation or set to be upgraded soon include the Bulawayo-Nkayi, Gokwe Centre, Nembudziya-Chodha road, Kadoma-Sanyati, Chakari-Patchway, Murambinda-Birchenough, Nyanga Ruangwe, Murehwa-Madacheche, Ndodahondo Road in Mukumbura among others.
Recently, Minister Mhona conducted an inspection tour of critical road networks linking Gweru to Nembudziya and Harare to Nembudziya.
The purpose of the tour was to assess the current state of these roads and evaluate the progress made by contractors in their rehabilitation efforts.
During an interview, Minister Mhona reassured the public that the Government remains committed to addressing road infrastructure challenges countrywide.
He emphasised that all roads will be rehabilitated to ensure they are trafficable.
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