$1bn road rehab gathers momentum

GOVERNMENT has paid 10 percent upfront for project costs to five contractors that have been chosen to rehabilitate the Chirundu-Harare-Beitbridge road, which is expected to gobble $1 billion.

Tensor Systems, Masimba Construction, Fossil Contractors, Exodus and Company, and Bitumen World — which have been allocated 20-kilometre stretches each at various sections of the road — have since mobilised on site. Starting from next month, Government will ring-fence 5 percent of excise duty revenue collected on fuel to bankroll the ambitious project.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joel Biggie Matiza said authorities did not anticipate any stoppages once work begins.

“There is $1 billion for the road and it has been ring-fenced, so there is no stopping now.

“The companies are now on site as we speak and they have started working,” said Minister Matiza.

“In terms of roads, Vision 2030 is attainable and our focus is on the major roads.

“In terms of the Beitbridge-Harare-Chirundu highway, the contractors are now on site. They were given 10 percent (of project costs) to commence works, and they have started working on the roads.”

Exodus & Company, which is working on the 20-kilometre segment of the Maringire-Ngundu road, said it was presently constructing the detour road.

More than 30 workers from surrounding communities have been engaged, while various services have been outsourced from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and artisans — carpenters, plumbers, welders, auto-electricians — from Ngundu and Maringire shopping centres.