Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
MUTARE City Council is bearing the brunt of extensive damages to the road network inflicted by haulage trucks passing to and from the border, forcing the local authority to fork out US$1,4 million towards the overhaul of the one-and-a- half-kilometre stretch from the City Fire Station to the end of Railway Avenue.
The amount is almost half of the US$2,9m needed to complete the entire project, straddling the stretch along Park Road up to Vumba Turn-off.
Over the years, the volume of haulage trucks passing through Mutare – to and from Forbes Border Post – has increased significantly, leaving massive damages to the city’s road network in areas around the Central Business District.
Roads in the downtown area of Mutare of late resembled a potato field, with huge gullies and potholes.
This has resulted in nightmares to the motoring public, especially those with low clearance vehicles.
Dust fumes were the order of the day, putting most businesspeople and shoppers who frequent the downtown area’s lives at risk through contracting respiratory diseases.
Acting Mutare City Council Town Clerk, Mr Blessing Chafesuka said the local authority had no choice, but to suspend a number of other planned developmental projects to upgrade its deteriorating road infrastructure.
“The damage to the roads is just unbearable, and as a local authority, we had no choice, but to put on hold a number of planned developmental projects in order to address our deteriorating roads, especially from City Fire Station to Railway Avenue. The total length of the road, including Park Road, is 4,5km, and the total estimated cost of the project is US$2,992 million. Therefore, we could only take up the project from the City Fire Station to the end of Railway Avenue, which is about 1,55km, costing US$1,4m.
“What is also important to note is that we did not have that kind of money in our coffers, and we had to negotiate with the contractor to make part payments until we clear off the whole amount of US$1,4m,” he said.
Mr Chafesuka said construction of the loop from the City Fire Station to Railway Avenue should be complete by December 15, 2024.
“Provisionally, by December 15, 2024, the loop road should be open to traffic, but it can be opened as early as November 15, 2024, depending on the smooth flow of the project,” said Mr Chafesuka.
He said the local authority has approached Government for assistance to have the whole project completed up to Park Road.
“We have made submissions to Government, soliciting assistance to complete the whole project up to Park Road. This road has significance that goes beyond Mutare, and much of the damage is being caused by heavy vehicles that use it in transit to the Beira Corridor or other countries in the region. So as a local authority, we cannot afford the costs needed to rehabilitate, and make it trafficable; hence our appeal for assistance to Government, and our plea with the contractor for part payments until completion of the project,” said Mr Chafesuka.
The deteriorating state of the roads comes amid paltry funding received from Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA), whose disbursement are in local currency, despite contractors demanding to be paid in hard currency.
Mr Chafesuka said the amount received from ZINARA for their annual budget allocation translates to about US$200 000 on official exchange rate – which amount is a small fraction of the US$1,4m required to construct the loop from the Fire Station to Railway Avenue.
Road maintenance has been a big challenge for Mutare City Council, given that the local authority gets revenue for road rehabilitation from ZINARA, Roads Levy and City Parking.
The total amount from these sources is only enough to repair 1,5km annually, but they have already gone beyond expected road construction targets.
He said Mutare City Council has so far covered 8,16km through the rehabilitation of Chaminuka Road (Greenside, 1,6km), Sakubva commuter route (5km) and City Fire Station to Railway Avenue (1,55km) projects.
“It should also be borne in mind that what we get for roads rehabilitation from ZINARA, Roads Levy and City Parking is only enough to repair 1,5km, and yet more than 20km have been deamged, and in dire need of rehabilitation.
“One can clearly see the deficit that exists. Mutare City Council has so far covered 8,16km through the rehabilitation of Chaminuka Road (Greenside, 1,6km), Sakubva commuter route (5km) and City Fire Station to Railway Avenue (1,55km). We were able to cover 8,16km road rehabilitation, simply because we got a loan, and also the part payment negotiations we entered into with the contractor, especially on the current City Fire Station to Railway Avenue project,” said Mr Chafesuka.
