Milestones in the Second Republic
SO far 25km rebuilt of the 47km Wedza-Mushandirapamwe Road have been opened to traffic by the Government, with the road seen as a key for economic activities in Mashonaland East.
It is this road which most farmers use to transport their produce to markets in Mashonaland East, Chitungwiza, Harare and beyond.
Masimba Holdings is upgrading part of the road from Feles Business Centre near Hwedza Growth Point, going towards Mushandirapamwe Business Centre.
Of the 25km, 14km were completed during the first phase of the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP1) by the Department of Roads, while the other 11km which was done by Masimba construction was opened to traffic this week.
Wedza-Mushandirapamwe Road links Wedza district to Marondera and Harare.
Mashonaland East provincial engineer Engineer Tatenda Arigundia said the road links Wedza to the provincial capital, Marondera as well as Harare.
“The project has been divided into four phases.
“The first phase which was about 14km was done by the Department of Roads and then we have the three phases that were divided into 11km each and we subcontracted Masimba Holdings for the two phases which is a total of 22km.
“And I am happy to announce that Masimba has completed one of the phases which is phase number two, which will soon be opened to traffic and the outstanding issues are only road markings as well as signage,” he said.
He said the budget for the project was around US$23 443 000 and was being financed by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion as well as Zinara.
“The project started in April 2022 and its expected to be completed, for the two phases that Masimba Holdings is doing, in 2024. We are hoping if finance permits we are going to complete the last phase of the final 11km up to Mushandirapamwe shops,” Eng Arigundia said.
He said Masimba Holdings was almost at 48 percent of its share of the project and that the Wedza community was going to have a world class road.
“We are also doing other projects in Mashonaland East, that is we are doing construction projects like Murewa-Madecheche, Domboshawa as well as other maintenance works that are at various stages. These are some of the projects that are being implemented under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme,” he said.
The key elements of achieving an upper middle income economy in the country was infrastructure development and that the Government was on track by financing these projects.
“It is true what the President says that no one and no place will be left behind and the Wedza community can testify to that, they have a world class road that they are going to enjoy during this festive season.
“Wedza is a farming area and farmers had a hard time taking their produce for marketing to the provincial capital as well as to Harare and now with the improvement of the road network, we are going to see a growth in business for the farmers,” Eng Arigundia said.
Meanwhile, Government will also soon move in to construct the next stages of the Arcturus Road in Mashonaland East starting from Mabvuku and a local contractor has since been tasked to do the works.