MPs laud Zinara
LEGISLATORS have commended the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) for the work it is doing to improve the state of the country’s roads.
Speaking at a workshop in Nyanga last week, chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development Mr Oscar Gorerino said the road authority should continue with its trajectory of ensuring transparency in the handling of road funds.
“When we engaged Zinara in 2019, I must agree that it was in a mess and there were a lot of legacy issues and malpractices. As a committee I must say we are happy and confirm we have seen positive changes in the way they are handling public funds,” he said.
Mr Gorerino said the road authority should continue to work towards the total eradication of corruption that had plagued the parastatal under previous managers.
“Millions were lost due to these activities and the previous boards and management were looting. We want to thank the new team led by (Transport and Infrastructural Development) Minister Felix Mhona, his Permanent Secretary Mr Tedious Chinyanga and the Zinara board chair Dr George Manyaya for helping to ensure that this vision is achieved,” he said.
In a speech read on his behalf by Mr Chinyanga, Minister Mhona praised Zinara for raising the bar after setting a target to disburse $17 billion this year for road rehabilitation, up from last year’s $9, 5 billion.
“This is a significant improvement which is part of the ongoing efforts under my Ministry to ensure the road rehabilitation projects are successfully implemented,” he said.
Minister Mhona said the Government is committed to upgrading several highways which are key economic enablers.
“In this regard, I am pleased to inform
this house that more than 300km have been opened to traffic along the Harare-Beitbridge road. Coupled with the upgrading of the Beitbridge Border Post, this positions Zimbabwe among the best routes for transporters within the SADC region, especially given its strategic locus along the North-South Corridor,” he said.
In his remarks at the workshop, Dr Manyaya said the parastatal had taken a bold stance to rebrand into a more professional institution that contributes meaningfully to the growth of the national economy.
“We have followed the laws, policies and statutes of the country, we have opened up our activities to stakeholders, we are now part of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission integrity committee, we are revolutionising the culture and philosophy of employees.
“We have total transparency in our books and in short we are disciples of corporate governance,” he said.
He said Zinara’s financial position has improved from making a loss of $149 million in 2019 to a surplus of $506 million in 2021.