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Walter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau
The District Development Fund is expected to rehabilitate about 32 000 kilometres of rural feeder roads under the accelerated national economic development programme encapsulated in the Zim-Asset economic blueprint. To ensure efficiency in the implementation process, rural district councils and DDF will pool available resources and co-ordinate their operations.

In a letter to all ministers of State for provincial affairs dated June 30, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said rural road maintenance was key to accelerated economic development.

“The current pursuit of an accelerated national economic development programme necessarily requires an aggressive rehabilitation of our rural feeder roads under the Infrastructure and Utilities Cluster of the Zim-Asset blueprint,” he said.

DDF is now operating under the Office of the President and Cabinet and co-ordination of the road authorities is seen as key in ensuring the task of turning around the economy is achieved.

Under the programme, DDF is working on the Mubaira-Watyoka-Chikara-Chiketa roads in Mhondoro covering over 137 kilometres and on other projects in various parts of the country.

The project is being worked on with four motorised graders pooled from the Chegutu Rural District Council, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development and DDF.

Mashonaland West Province plans to cover at least 650km of roads under the programme which is expected to improve the road network and subsequently spur economic development.

DDF Mashonaland West provincial co-ordinator Mr Erikano Chikande said the co-ordinated approach leads to maximum utilisation of resources.
“We are working together with Rural District Councils to ensure that we accelerate the maintenance of rural feeder roads which have become impassable in some places, thereby stifling economic development in the affected areas,” he said.