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Government needs to move with speed and expedite the long overdue dualisation of the Harare-Beitbridge and Harare-Chirundu Road connecting Zimbabwe with the north and south of Africa.

It was heartening to hear President Mugabe announce during the 36th Independence anniversary celebrations on Monday that work on the two roads will commence soon, after it was delayed by legal wrangles.

We believe dualisation of one of Zimbabwe’s most important trunk roads deserves more priority than has been given to date.

President Mugabe said Government had secured a financier for the project estimated to cost $2 billion. The project has the potential to bring huge economic value and benefits to Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe, due to its strategic geographical location, is uniquely positioned as the nerve centre of the road network between north and south. Besides its strategic importance to the region and the rest of Africa, not to mention the internal benefits; Zimbabwe has failed to expedite the process to rehabilitate its key road infrastructure.

If SADC, as has been reported of late, moves ahead with plans to construct another highway through other regional countries, the country would lose millions in revenue from travellers payments.

Already, countries around the region have expressed strong reservations about the condition of the narrow, but strategically important road network from Chirundu through Harare to the border with neighbouring South Africa.

It will be a sad day for Zimbabwe if its neighbours were to proceed with plans to construct alternative routes to link the north and south, yet we could provide the infrastructure, which would bring huge benefits to the country.

The potential for trade and other economic activities between the south and north of the continent are huge considering South Africa is Africa’s second biggest economy after Nigeria.

Adequate and good quality road network infrastructure to facilitate this interstate transportation becomes of paramount importance and Zimbabwe needs to act with urgency to demonstrate its commitment to push the growth of intra-Africa trade.

It is common knowledge that international businesses thrive where there are exchanges between markets with huge populations, which Africa boasts.

On its own, Zimbabwe does not have such numbers to trade with others and may be overlooked by international capital if adequate and appropriate infrastructure is not in place.

Although we strive to attract foreign direct investment into our country, it is also important that we benefit from spin-offs from South Africa, the second largest economy in Africa. A reliable and safe road network is therefore critical in this endeavour. Besides its huge economic value, thousands of innocent lives are lost on the road due to its narrow and poor state.

Two reasons make the road not safe; the highway is narrow for intercity travellers and it is Zimbabwe’s busiest highway as it is used by travellers from north to south and vice versa. It also makes economic sense to expedite dualisation of the Chirundu-Beitbridge highway because of the opportunity to collect revenue through toll fees better and other border fees.

Presently, Kazungula is taking some potential business from Zimbabwe. Motorists and business generally prefer safe roads and Chirundu-Beitbridge has not guaranteed that for some time.