Zimpapers Logo

Freeman Razemba in KANYEMBA

The redesigning and rehabilitation of Kanyemba Border Post in Mashonaland Central Province is set to start next month after a local contractor, Exodus and Company, was engaged to undertake the works.

Exodus and Company is also constructing the 354km Harare-Kanyemba Road.

In terms of the border, the contractor is mobilising equipment and putting it at the border, which links Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique.

Feasibility studies are also being conducted to ensure that a Y-Bridge linking the three countries is constructed.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister, Felix Mhona, and Government officials this week visited Mashonaland Central Province to assess progress and inform the people about the developments.

“The issues to do with infrastructure are of paramount importance and we are here at this border post, Kanyemba Border Post, to promote issues to do with a vibrant border post and to promote issues of connectivity,” he said.

“We are here because you can actually see that this area is more of a confluence, where we are having Luangwa River (from Zambia) feeding into Zambezi River and we also have Zambia and Mozambique just within.

“I must also commend the Second Republic that we are restarting the whole process of redesigning and rehabilitating the border post. As you can see, in terms of passability, you cannot come easily to this border post.

“So, the contractor who is rehabilitating the Harare-Kanyemba Road is also going to start from this point where we are going to develop Kanyemba Border Post to be a state-of-the-art border post just like what we are doing in Victoria Falls, Beitbridge and what we are going to do in Chirundu.”

Minister Mhona said the Government was not only going to rehabilitate the border post, but also pursue the issues of constructing a Y-Bridge with Zambian and Mozambican counterparts.

“I am happy that feasibility studies are ongoing where we are going to construct a Y-Bridge which will then connect Zambia, Mozambique and ourselves,” he said.

The infrastructure developments in Kanyemba are expected to boost connectivity, as travellers going to the DRC and Tanzania, would save close to 400km if they use the route.

Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland Central, Monica Mavhunga, welcomed the development.

“I am happy that the Minister (Mhona) has come here and informed us about these developments which will go a long way in assisting both the people in this area and others in neighbouring countries.”

Chapoto Ward 1 Councillor in Mbire district, Mr Christmas Kachasu, said they had been facing a lot of challenges, especially the poor state of roads.

“If the road is constructed it will go a long way in assisting a lot of people, especially pregnant women who were facing transport challenges and others going to sell their wares since more transport will become available,” he said.

Clr Kachasu said many people had been walking for more than 12km to get services or sell their wares.

On the issues of the Y-Bridge, Clr kachasu said the development would create employment since it was likely going to boost tourism.

A villager, Ms Sarai Chiperera, said they survived on selling various wares in Zambia and the initiative would make life easier for them.

Mr Bigboy Chinembiri, from the same area, said the canoes used to cross into Zambia were unsafe, and hoped the developments were undertaken speedily.

Mr Simbarashe Chimbare also applauded Government for the programme.

He said he never thought that both the road and border post would be rehabilitated in his lifetime.

More roads across the country have been also lined up for rehabilitation under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme Phase 2 (ERRP2), as the Second Republic continues to prioritise national transport infrastructure and infrastructural development for economic growth.

Some of the roads have been completed while others are still at the tendering stage.

Significant progress in the rehabilitation of a number of roads in different parts of the country has been made, to ensure trafficability.

So far, over $1 billion has been spent on road rehabilitation, gravelling and drainage structuring.

Over 2 000km of roads have been re-gravelled, while 6 627,9km have been graded with 701 drainage structures constructed or repaired and 184 wash-aways reclaimed.

Across the country, 4 491,5km of drains have been opened while 6 141,2km of verges have been cleared with progress continuing on the patching of potholes, with a cumulative of 4 794,8km having been attended to.