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Freeman Razemba Senior Reporter

Government has so far opened up to traffic a total of 25km out of the 47km along the Wedza-Mushandirapamwe Road which is key for economic activities across the Mashonaland East Province.

The road is used by most farmers to transport their produce to local markets in Mashonaland East as well as to Chitungwiza and Harare.

Masimba Holdings is upgrading part of the road from Feles Business Centre near Hwedza Growth Point, going towards Mushandirapamwe Business Centre.

Of the 25km, 14km were completed during the first phase under ERRP and was done by the Department of Roads, while the other 11km, done by Masimba construction, was opened to traffic this week.

This road is being upgraded under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP2).

Wedza-Mushandirapamwe Road links Wedza district, Marondera and Harare.

In an interview with journalists who are touring projects done under ERRP2, Mashonaland East provincial engineer, Engineer Tatenda Arigundia confirmed the progress of the project.

“The project has been divided into four phases. The first phase which was about 14km was done by the Department of Roads and then we have the three phases that were divided into 11km each and we subcontracted Masimba Holdings for the two phases which is a total of 22km. And I am happy to announce that Masimba has completed one of the phases which is phase number two, which will soon be opened to traffic and the outstanding issues are only road markings as well as signage,” he said.

He said the budget for the project is around US$23 443 000 and was being financed by the Ministry of Finance and Investment Promotion as well as Zinara.

“The project started in April 2022 and is expected to be completed, for the two phases that Masimba Holdings is doing is supposed to be completed in 2024. We are hoping if finance permits we are going to complete the other last phase of the other 11km phase up to Mushandirapamwe shops,” Eng Arigundia said.

He said Masimba Holdings was almost at 48 percent of the project and that the Wedza community was going to have a world-class road.

“We are also doing other projects in Mashonaland East, like Murewa-Madecheche, Domboshava as well as other maintenance works that are at various stages. These are some of the projects being implemented under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme,” he said.

He said the key element of achieving an upper middle-income economy in the country is infrastructure development and that the government was on track by financing these projects.

“It is true what the President says that no one and no place will be left behind and the Wedza community can testify to that, they have a world-class road that they are going to enjoy during this festive season.

“Wedza is a farming area and farmers had a hard time taking their produce for marketing to the provincial capital as well as to Harare and now with the improvement of the road network, we are going to see a growth in the business of the farmers,” Eng Arigundia said.

Meanwhile, Government will also soon move in to construct Acturus Road in Mashonaland East starting from Mabvuku and a local contractor has since been tasked to do the works.