GOVERNMENT through the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP) has modernised and rehabilitated roads in rural and urban Gweru in the Midlands province as the Second Republic steps up efforts to improve accessibility on the country’s road network.
The ERRP programme has helped change the outlook of the Gweru and Vungu areas.
In Gweru urban, some of the roads which were rehabilitated under the programme include Chilimanzi Road in Mkoba 3 suburb, Mambo-Woodlands Road, Chidhanana Road in Mkoba 16 and Igonde Road leading to Mkoba Teachers’ College.
In rural Gweru, which falls under Vungu Rural District Council, Government has started rehabilitating the Gweru-Insukamini Road, a major development that will ease travelling between Gweru and Vungu constituency.
Most of the roads were extensively damaged and littered with potholes following the incessant rains pounding most parts of the country and are now impassable.
Residents and villagers in Gweru and Vungu have been appealing to the Government to repair the damaged roads and storm drains.
For motorists, particularly public transport operators, driving had turned into a nightmare because of potholes resulting in some shunning the Gweru-Insukamini-Maboleni Road because of the potholes thereby creating transport challenges for villagers.
The 35-kilometre stretch is also an alternative to Crossroads, which is the shortest way to Lupane from the Midlands Province and can be used by tourists who intend to visit Victoria Falls via Nkayi.
The road works have also ignited excitement among residents and members of the local business community.
A businesswoman operating at the Maboleni Business Centre, Mrs Tamara Sibanda commended the Government for rehabilitating the Gweru- Insukamini road.
“We are very grateful to our listening leader, President Mnangagwa for responding to our request and we are now witnessing the roads being fixed. We had problems in the past with this road, but things are beginning to happen now,” she said.
A motorist, Mr Xavier Matarutse said the roads were now posing danger to motorists and vehicles developing mechanical faults.
“I had challenges with shocks that needed to be changed time and again because of the bad road. We always had breakdowns, but now we are happy with the ongoing road works being undertaken by our Government,” he said.
Vungu MP, Cde Omega Sibanda said Government will continue to implement developmental projects to empower its citizenry in line with the National Development Strategy (NDS-1).
“We have made a pledge to the people that the roads will be fixed. As a ruling party, we are here to show that what we promise is what we deliver. The President has made it clear that working for the people is critical for the country’s development,” he said.
“We are therefore making it a reality that our people can have a decent way of life.”
Cde Sibanda said the Gweru-Insukamini stretch links up with the Maboleni stretch which has already been resurfaced through the ERRP.
Midlands provincial roads engineer Denis Mupfurira said the rehabilitation of the road infrastructure is underway.
“The Government’s move to rehabilitate urban and rural roads is bearing fruit with Gweru City Council and Vungu Rural District Council roads getting a major facelift through the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP). We have major roads in Vungu and Gweru being rehabilitated so that they are accessible,” he said.
Eng Mupfurira said Government has lined up similar projects across the Midlands Province in line with the Second Republic’s policy of inclusive development that leaves no one and no place behind.
He said the 1,5 km stretch of Chilimanzi Road was no longer traversable with commuter omnibus operators shunning the road.
“The road is important as it is used by residents from Mkoba 6 Shopping Centre going to the city centre. It is now being rehabilitated and more similar projects are taking place across the Midlands province,” he said.
Eng Mupfurira said the President’s motto is that no one and no place shall be left behind.
Under the Infrastructure, Utilities and Digital Economy cluster, Zimbabwe’s economic blueprint, the National Development Strategy (NDS-1) prioritises the completion of road rehabilitation projects.
NDS-1 notes that “a road can become an economy” and in this regard, the focus will be on the development of feeder roads into communities as a way of developing underdeveloped remote areas.
Government declared a state of national disaster for all roads in February 2021 and launched the ERRP2 three months later under a budget of $33,6 billion.
Over 10 000km of roads would be rehabilitated under the programme. – The Chronicle
