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Minister Mpofu

Herald Reporter
Government has received overwhelming response s from companies interested in constructing the country’s major highways under the Public-Private-Partnership arrangement.
Out of the 15 road projects advertised by Government last December, 13 received several bids while there were no takers for the remainder.
Addressing journalists in Harare on Thursday, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Obert Mpofu said the massive response was an expression of confidence by both local and international investors in Zimbabwe’s economy.

As way forward, Minister Mpofu said Government had since set an inter-ministerial committee to assess the bids for compliance.
“I am pleased to advise that by midday March 31, 2014, the time set for the close of bids, we had received bids in respect of 13 of the 15 projects which we had advertised,” he said.

“The three roads that did not get bidders by the cut off time are Murambinda-Birchenough Road, Karoi-Binga-Dete and Golden Valley-Sanyati-Nembudziya Road.”

The Harare-Chirundu highway received 12 bids while eight investors expressed interest in the Harare-Nyamapanda highway.
Other roads that received significant response were the Harare-Bindura highway and Harare Drive which court five and three bidders respectively.

Bulawayo-Beitbridge and Kwekwe-Nkayi-Lupane roads received two bidders apiece while single bidders expressed interest in the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls and Mberengwa-West Nicholson roads.

Bulawayo-Nkayi, Bulawayo-Tsholotsho and Buchwa-Rutenga-Boli-Sango also received single bids.
Minister Mpofu said after assessing the bids, those that meet the set requirements would be forwarded to Government for processing.