The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Correspondent
THE Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme has started to gather momentum in Mutare, with Government taking over the rehabilitation of three major roads in the city.
The programme has seen Government taking over the rehabilitation of Magamba and Kumbirai Kangai (Aerodrome) roads as well as a 2km long road that connects Hob-House and Zimta suburbs to Jeff Road.
The contractor is already working on the Hob-house-Zimta Road.
Work on the road is expected to be complete in 10 weeks.
Speaking during a recent tour of the projects, Transport and Infrastructural Development Deputy Minister, Mike Madiro, said all the three roads would be tarred, and have proper road signage and markings.
He said the roads were in bad shape and need urgent attention.
Deputy Minister Madiro said Government took over the repairing and rehabilitation of roads, traffic and street lighting in urban areas as they had suffered years of neglect at the hands of local authorities.
“After realising that local authorities were failing to repair roads, thereby compromising drivers, passengers and pedestrians’ safety, Government took over roads rehabilitation and this includes their surfacing and tarring. Government will also repair street lights,” he said.
Deputy Minister Madiro said the rehabilitation of the three roads was a clear testimony that Government wants to spruce up the images of all cities and towns.
“In most urban areas, including Mutare, the roads were and some are still in bad shape and Government thought it wise to take over their rehabilitation. Local authorities had failed to rehabilitate the roads, and so Government took over to make sure that the country achieves Vision 2030 without fail,” said Deputy Minister Madiro.
He said since it was Government’s policy to recruit locals to be part of the labour.
“The Government is for the people and serves its people despite their different political affiliations, so we will approach key stakeholders like religious and community leaders so that they are involved in identifying youths to be employed as unskilled labourers from our local communities,” he said.
Deputy Minister Madiro also reiterated Government’s commitment to improving livelihoods and quality of life for the citizenry by using tax payers’ money for developmental projects like the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme.
Also present during the tour were Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial and Devolution Affairs, Honourable Nokhutula Matsikenyere and Zanu PF Central Committee member, Cde Isau Mupfumi.
