Source: Road upgrades accelerate before Uhuru celebrations – herald
Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona will this week lead a ministerial tour of road rehabilitation projects in Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North provinces, assessing progress on key routes ahead of the 46th Independence Day celebrations scheduled for April 18 at Maphisa Open Grounds.
He will be accompanied by journalists on the inspection tour, which covers the Bulawayo–Kezi–Maphisa Road, Maphisa–Gwanda Road, Gwanda–Bulawayo Road and the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls Road.
Construction on the Gwanda–Maphisa and Bulawayo–Kezi–Maphisa roads is gaining momentum, with detours already constructed to facilitate works while maintaining traffic flow.
The roads are being surfaced as part of legacy projects in Matabeleland South, this year’s Independence Day hosting province.
Matabeleland South Provincial Roads Engineer Mangisi Nkomo confirmed that four contractors are working on the Gwanda–Maphisa Road, while seven are deployed on the Bulawayo–Kezi–Maphisa Road.
“We are working on two major roads, the Bulawayo–Kezi–Maphisa Road and the Gwanda–Maphisa Road. The works include surfacing 55 km along the Gwanda–Maphisa Road and 63 km along the Bulawayo–Kezi–Maphisa Road, as well as other rehabilitation works on these routes,” Nkomo said.
The Gwanda–Maphisa Road connects several districts and links economic centres, including ARDA Antelope, Makwe Irrigation Scheme, two border posts, and tourist attractions in Matobo.
Upon completion, the road is expected to reduce travel times between Gwanda and surrounding districts, improving access to services and unlocking opportunities in mining, agriculture and tourism.
Other roads under development in the province include the Plumtree–Maitengwe Road and the Beitbridge–Bulawayo Highway.
Meanwhile, rehabilitation work continues on the 440‑kilometre Bulawayo–Victoria Falls Road, a critical trade and tourism corridor linking Zimbabwe with Zambia, Namibia and Botswana.
Eight contractors are working on the project under the Government’s Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP II).
The road projects form part of broader infrastructure development ahead of the Independence Day celebrations.
Additional legacy projects in Matabeleland South include the construction of 41 science laboratories, the renovation of Mahetshe Primary School and the expansion of Mahetshe Secondary School to include a 700‑seater hall, classroom blocks, science laboratories and teachers’ cottages.
The Government adopted a rotational format for Independence Day celebrations across all 10 provinces in 2021, aligning with the Second Republic’s devolution agenda.
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