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Freeman Razemba

Senior Reporter

The Gwebi River Bridge and a 4km stretch along the Old Mazowe Road from the bridge were opened to traffic yesterday after Government completed the construction.

About 26km of access roads in the Mount Hampden area linking the New Parliament Building and surrounding areas are almost complete.

The scope of works on Old Mazowe Road included construction and landscaping of the road from the Westgate traffic circle to Mt Hampden, the Loop Road and New Parliament Building access roads.

Government is also rehabilitating Greater Harare roads, fixing street lights and landscaping. At least 37 roads in the Greater Harare area that link the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and the city are being done.

The overall progress of all works is now 90 percent and the target completion date is July 30.

Yesterday, Cabinet Ministers led by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona, toured Old Mazowe Road before opening the bridge to traffic.

Others present were Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, Harare Metropolitan Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Charles Tawengwa, Minister of Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland West Province, Marian Chombo and Mashonaland Central Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Christopher Magomo.

In an interview, Minister Mhona said: “I am very delighted that we are here today with my colleague the Minister of Information, to witness what His Excellency, our Grand Master, Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, has been doing at a very difficult circumstance in our country.

“We are financing our own infrastructure, which is contrary to what other nations do when it comes to infrastructure rehabilitation and upgrades, where they tap into concessional loans, whether from the IMF or the World Bank, but in our case, we are using our own resources.”

Minister Mhona said some of the infrastructure developments underway might be linked to the forthcoming SADC Summit, but once the summit is over, the infrastructure will remain.

Contractors have been told that all roads they are constructing should last for a minimum of 20 years.

Minister Mhona said on Thursday they will also be opening another large section of road along the Harare-Bindura Road, while other roads will be opened next week.

“Why rehabilitate our roads? We know that in any given economy, you need a good road, which is an economic enabler and we are happy this is what we are pursuing as a Ministry. We cannot achieve this alone. The symbiotic relationship, the working together of various departments of Government, is what we are also witnessing, where in terms of enforcement, after having good roads, we also need enforcement,” he said.