Govt pours $6bn into capital projects, more expected

coming from international loans and grants, primarily from China.

Projects being funded by local resources include the restoration of road infrastructure destroyed by Cyclone Idai, upgrading of the Harare-Beitbridge highway, construction of Causeway, Marovanyati and Chivhu Dams, and the rehabilitation of Darwendale and Warren Control Pump Station.

“Exogenous factors, in the form of Covid19, climate change impacts of drought and floods as well as a difficult operating environment have necessitated reprioritisation of spending away from the development budget towards more urgent health priorities,” reads the statement.

“Against the fiscal allocation of $12 billion towards infrastructure, a total of $6,6 billion has already been deployed towards projects as at July 31 2020 focusing on transport, water and sanitation, public amenities, irrigation amongst others.

“This excludes the significant funds that are being disbursed under the 2020 intergovernmental fiscal transfer (devolution), which are also being earmarked to address basic social infrastructure needs at the community level.”

The five contractors working on the Harare-Beitbridge highway have since been paid $1,8 billion.

“Thirty-six kilometres have been completed and opened to traffic, 15km have been primed and await surfacing (tarring). A total of 200km is targeted for completion before year-end.”

A further $300 million has been poured into repairing infrastructure damaged by Cyclone Idai, with works on major roads such as Birchenough-Chipinge, Nyanga-Rusape and Machongwe-Kopa now complete.

Other roads damaged by the cyclone, including Skyline-Chimanimani and Wengezi-Skyline, are over 95 percent complete.

For sanitation, Government sunk $385 million for the rehabilitation of water systems in Harare and Bulawayo.

Rehabilitation of Darwendale and Warren Control pump stations in Harare have commenced, with contractors now awaiting shipment of 19 pumps.

Cumulatively, Government has disbursed over $1 billion for the construction of three dams: Causeway (80 percent complete), which is now impounding water; Marovanyati (96 percent complete); and Chivhu (30 percent complete). Government also allocated $139 million for the rehabilitation of existing irrigation schemes, planning and implementation of new schemes, which is ongoing.

Loans, grants

Through support from cooperating partners, three major projects are currently being implemented. At the RGM International Airport, Chinese contractors are upgrading the runway, building a new terminal building, additional aero-bridges and upgrading the communication systems, among other works.

“Twenty-seven (27) percent for overall landslide works have been completed at RGM International Airport. Excavations and foundation works for arrivals and departures extensions have been completed. Concrete works are at 60 percent and 55 percent of brickwork done to date at level 4,90m.”

Government is also projecting completion the New Parliament building by March next year after completion of the six-storey superstructure, with $30 million disbursed so far while other funds were provided by the Chinese government through a grant.

Construction of Hwange units 7 and 8 - funded through a loan from the Export-Import Bank of China - is now 44 percent complete.

Economist Professor Gift Magano said the projects were of great importance as they significantly contributed to the economy.

“Infrastructure is a key enabler for economic growth and by focusing on infrastructure Government is stimulating economic growth,” he said.

100-day programmes

An array of other smaller projects include the manufacture of power transformers by Zesa, with 322 transformers having been completed out of a target of 570 during the third 100-day cycle.

Twenty satellite schools in Chiredzi have also been upgraded and registered.

Refurbishment of the ZimAlloys A3 furnace had reached 60 percent completion by July 22.

The Midlands State University Innovation Hub last month started a national priority programme in indigenous fruit and herbs.

Through Government support, the Intrachem Explosive Plant is under construction, with the superstructure now complete and storage tanks for raw materials erected.

In Mutoko, a tomato processing plant has been completed. The plant seeks to improve livelihoods among youths through participation in the fruit and vegetable value chain. Electrification of Kanyemba was at 25 percent complete as of last week.