The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter
MASSIVE road infrastructure upgrades are gathering momentum in all the seven districts of Manicaland, with contractors racing against time to complete the major works before the onset of heavy rains around mid-November.
The Government has embarked on a radical national road reconstruction blitz aimed at upgrading most roads.
A total of $1,8 billion has since been allocated to Manicaland under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP).
The programme was now in its second phase in the province where four road authorities — urban councils, rural district councils (RDCs), the Department of Roads and District Development Fund (DDF) — have to date claimed $396 million, which translates to about 22.4 percent.
A balance of $1,3 billion is expected to have been exhausted by November 15 as most of the planned projects have been contracted, in a development that is expected to moderate motorists’ suffering.
Major works involve pothole-patching, resealing of surfaced roads, re-gravelling for gravel roads, grading; drainage clearing and cleaning; repairs and construction; wash-away and gully reclamation; erosion works and drains as well as vegetation clearance.
As at September 22, these works were 50 percent, while the other works were between 17 and 26 percent.
Manicaland Provincial Roads Engineer, Engineer Kudzai Maganga, said most of the roads, which were extensively damaged by the heavy downpour experienced early this year, had been rehabilitated and now trafficable.
“Most of the works were outsourced from contractors, and have started. The initial uptake was a bit slow because most were still at the procurement stage. The procurement is over and most of the work has started at an accelerated pace to beat the November 15 deadline. We are on track and no obstacle will obstruct us from attaining that,” he said.
Three urban councils — Mutare City, Rusape and Chipinge town councils were allocated $146 million, of which $54 million has been disbursed, and that translates to 38 percent.
Seven RDCs — Mutare, Makoni, Mutasa, Chimanimani, Nyanga, Buhera and Chipinge — were allocated $279 million, of which $104 million has been disbursed and also translating to 38 percent.
The 10 local authorities were allocated a total of $424843269.30, of which $186 989610.77 has been disbursed.
The Department of Roads was allocated $868 309 746.92, of which $162 377 100 — which is 19 percent — was disbursed. DDF was allocated $472 083 840, of which 15 percent ($72 124 456) was disbursed.
This leaves the total budget for Manicaland roads at $1 765 236 866.22, of which $395 753 630 was disbursed (22.4 percent). It leaves a balance of $1 369 483 225.31, which should be exhausted by the end of October.
Buhera RDC has received $18m out of its allocation of $23m. Chimanimani RDC, which has an allocation of $61351087, has received $25220745.18 while Chipinge RDC has received $15m out of its allocation of $36291320.
Makoni RDC, which presides over the largest earth road network in Manicaland by virtue of being the largest district, has received $14522944.58 of its allocation of $28637712.60.
Mutare RDC has received $22414343.30 of its allocation of $52260000 while Mutasa RDC, which was allocated $39699937.61, has received $22 190 106.21.
Nyanga RDC has received $12228374.70 of an allocation of $37405149.15.
Mutare City was allocated the largest piece of the cakeat $81799533.22 and has received $30845043.08.
Chipinge Town Council has received $3800000 out of an allocation of $39650000 while Rusape has received about 90 percent of its share of $24649529.24.
The local authority managed to reseal and patch potholes after receiving $22776237.67.
Engineer Maganga said the Department of Roads has finished its procurement process and contractors were given the nod to start mobilising their equipment to their respective sites without further delay and undertake major construction works.
“We have contracted 37 projects in all the seven districts and the contractors are on the ground after being paid 10 percent in advance. These projects cover the Binya roads in all the districts. DDF had challenges of securing contractors and that is being sorted,” he said.
Engineer Maganga said contractors were expected to deliver on the terms of agreements they signed.
“The allocations were based on the road network and the three urban councils in the province have bigger networks compared to RDCs. It also depended on the nature of the damages of the roads. The more damaged roads, the bigger the allocation and disbursements.
“RDCs preside over gravel roads which are cheaper to repair than surfaced roads in urban areas. Most of the roads in urban areas are now trafficable following this Government intervention. They were in bad shape, giving motorists a torrid time to navigate,” said Engineer Maganga.
