Kwekwe gets $1m for road rehab
KWEKWE will soon embark on road rehabilitation after it received $1 million from the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara).
Kwekwe Mayor Councillor Matenda Madzoke said it took the intervention of Mbizo legislator Cde Vongainashe Mupereri for Zinara to release the funds.
“We received the funds after Honourable Mupereri intervened and led a delegation that went to Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Dr Jorum Gumbo to complain about the state of roads in Kwekwe City,” he said.
“Remember, Kwekwe is President Mnangagwa’s home town and one of our local MPs, Cde Mupereri, was very worried about the state of the roads in the city, hence the decision to visit the responsible minister.”
Clr Madzoke said the funds were enough to cover half the road network they had earmarked for rehabilitation.
“The funds will go a long way in improving the roads whose condition has been in a deplorable state,” he said.
“We will soon embark on the rehabilitation exercise since funds are now available. We will begin with major roads that link the central business district (CBD) and the suburbs.”
Clr Madzoke said local the authority would also work on roads that connect the CBD to major industries, which were riddled with potholes.
“Our major roads like Industrial Road, Mbizo Road, Mvuma Road, Cobber Road, Old Gokwe Road and Amaveni Road will be prioritised,” he said.
He said the council was now in the process of identifying a contractor to do the job.
“We are currently going through the adjudication process, and I think we will be done within a week’s time and then work will commence,” said Clr Madzoke. “I should say we have received overwhelming response from the contractors.”
Clr Madzoke said the local authority was also engaging local companies like Zimasco to partner it in the road rehabilitation exercise.
“We are still negotiating with local firms like Zimasco, Africa Chrome Fields and Portnex who are also willing to fund the repair of Bessina and Faraday roads that are mostly used by their trucks,” he said.
Cde Mupereri said he will partner the local authority in rehabilitating smaller roads in Mbizo.
He said most roads needed urgent attention as motorists were having a torrid time trying to navigate them.