City roads rehab makes driving a joy 

Source: City roads rehab makes driving a joy | The Herald

Africa Moyo Deputy News Editor

Driving has become pleasurable on some of the roads that have been fixed under the Emergency Roads Rehabilitation Programme 2 (ERRP2), motorists say.

Some roads appeared forgotten and neglected, but some citizens — including well-known critics of the ruling Zanu PF — admit that the coming in of the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa has breathed fresh air to infrastructure management and development.

Government has completed the resurfacing of Paisley Road, which stretches from the traffic lights at corner Coventry Road and Rekayi Tangwena Road, crossing Lytton Road and Birmingham Road up to Highfield Road that starts at Southerton Shopping Centre.

Paisley Road is 1,6km long, but a careful driver that wanted to delay their next service would either avoid the road or put more fuel and use the next best alternative.

It was as bad as Seke Road particularly from Coke Corner in Graniteside to Maruta Shopping Centre in Hatfield.

That part of Seke Road has since been rehabilitated by Bitumen World, although it has not yet been opened to motorists.

Many other roads across Harare including Boshoff Drive that stretches from Ardbennie to Seke Road in St Martins, have been given a major facelift.

Mr Munyaradzi Tsiga of Kuwadzana, Harare, said: “I am just happy with the developmental and economic trajectory that our country has taken since President Mnangagwa was elected. Even more encouraging is the pace at which the infrastructure developments are taking place since 2018. You know, it was painful to drive on ugly roads all these years.

“I work in Ardbennie, Harare, and the road that I have been using, the one that passes through Southerton banks, was so bad that I felt sorry for my car all the time I passed through the place.

“But I was happy when I saw the road closed for repair and in no time, they have finished and I am driving pretty. This is what it should be.

“I regret voting MDC since 2000 because that is when infrastructure decay started. Right now they can’t even repair potholes, some of them very deep and dangerous.”

A Hatfield resident, Ms Monalisa Ngwenya, said she was happy that Chiremba Road’s bad stretches have been fixed.

“I just want to thank the Government for fixing our road. Along the road in Craneborne, there was a kerb that had caused many accidents and it has been demolished and the road widened.

“And straight from there, they are fixing it right up to St Patrick’s Road. That stretch was bad and I was fixing the suspension of my car almost every two months.

“I think we are on the right path; the Government must keep it up. Expecting anything good from City of Harare is a waste of time,” she said.