The Sunday News
Limukani Ncube
Roads are the arteries through which the economy pulses. By linking producers to markets, workers to jobs, students to school, and the sick to hospitals, roads are vital to any development agenda (Worldeconomicforum, 2015).
In an academic paper, Queiroz and Gautam (1992) emphasise that road transport is an important sector of economic activity, especially in developing countries, where it plays an essential role in marketing agricultural products and providing access to health, education and agricultural inputs and extension services.
The impact of road transportation in developed regions is also significant, they add. As an example, in the United States it accounts for 15 percent of the Gross National Product. An efficient road system gives a country a competitive edge in moving goods economically. Conversely, lack of accessibility or poor road conditions are barriers to agriculture, industry and trade, and may hinder the entire development effort.
It has been argued by many writers that transportation plays a multifaceted role in the pursuit of development objectives. Restriction of accessibility limits efficient factor mobility, and defers the transfer of human and material resources to places where they can be employed most productively. It has also been argued that rural areas with low standards of living are characteristically those with inadequate methods of moving people and goods, probably because of deficient access between villages and markets, schools, medical, economic, administrative and social services which affect the day to day lives of rural people.
In addition, the World Bank’s Long-Term Perspective Study emphasises that although better market incentives, especially related to prices and inputs to farmers remain important factors in agriculture, the effects of these would be blunted if the physical barriers and economic costs of transporting goods to and from markets remain high, according to Queiroz and Gautam (1992).
The Government of Zimbabwe, led by President Mnangagwa has made road development one of its priority projects, and road provision, in both rural and urban areas, is seen as a vital component to the country’s bid to be an upper middle-income economy by 2030. Through the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) presented by Finance Minister Prof Mthuli Ncube, the Government came up with a comprehensive Roads Development Programme. With support from the fiscus, and targeting upgrades from gravel to bituminous roads, surfacing is already underway in various parts of the country.
The target is to complete 20km for each road every year until completion. The targeted roads, being implemented under the Department of Roads Provincial Road Engineers in each province, estimated to cost US$542 million, are as follows: Matabeleland South Provincial Roads — Gwanda-Maphisa, Maphisa-Mpoengs, Gwanda-Guyu-Manama-Tuli. Matabeleland North roads — Dete-Binga Road and Binga-Karoi Road.
Midlands roads — Mberengwa-West Nicholson, Gokwe-Siyabuwa, Kwekwe-Nkayi, Mberengwa-Mataga, Jeka Bridge, Kwekwe-Gokwe and Kawonga Shelvert. Mashonaland East roads — Hwedza-Sadza, Mushandirapamwe-Hwedza, Beatrice-Mubaira, Zaire- Chingondo. Mashonaland Central roads — Guruve-Kanyemba, Mt Darwin-Mukumbura.
Mashonaland West roads — Golden Valley-Sanyati, Skyline-Mubaira — Chegutu, Alaska-Copper Queen, Kirkman Road. Masvingo roads — Kapota-Zimuto, Chilonga Bridge, Gutu-Buhera, Mhandamahwe-Chivi-Tokwe, Rutenga-Zvishavane, Chartsworth-Gutu, Rutenga-Boli-Chicualacuala. Manicaland roads — Ngundu-Tanganda, Nyamangura Bridge, Murambinda-Birchnough, Nyanga — Ruwangwe, Odzi — Marange-Zviripiri. Matabeleland North roads —Vic Falls-Bulawayo, Bulawayo-Nkayi, Bulawayo-Tsholotsho, Ingwingwisi Bridge.
With regards to the District Development Fund, Treasury last year disbursed US$11,2 million towards re-gravelling of feeder roads and bridge construction countrywide, with an additional US$15 million being targeted for this year.
In addition, Infrastructural Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) has been involved in the monitoring of the Emergency Roads Rehabilitation Programme by Government that covered eight provinces where it facilitated the disbursement of US$24,1 million. Some of the roads monitored include the Harare-Mutare Road dualisation (5,5km), Goromonzi Turnoff-Tollgate, Bindura-Shamva (4,4 km), Harare-Bulawayo Road dualisation (9km), and Norton Turnoff-Tollgate.
In collaboration with relevant authorities, IDBZ is planning to get involved in the preparation and construction of the Chitungwiza-Harare Rail link and play an advisory role on the following road
expansion projects like the Harare-Nyamapanda, Bulawayo-Victoria Falls, Mutare-Christmas Pass, Kwekwe-Silobela-Nkayi-Lupane, New Victoria Falls Bridge.
According to the TSP document, through the Zinara Infrastructure Bond, US$400 million was to be raised in 2018 and 2019 from the market in support of the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme and hot spots rehabilitation.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Hon Joel Biggie Matiza said Government is targeting to construct or rehabilitate three major trunk roads in each of the country’s 10 provinces using public-private partnerships (PPPs) and its own resources. In an interview during a tour of some of the roads being constructed in Manicaland recently, Minister Matiza to the media that vast sums of money would be released towards the project.
“The major trunk roads are going to be taken care of. Some are going through PPS, some we are going to do direct. We have the Beitbridge-Harare, Nyamapanda and Kanyemba-Bindura roads among others.
We are targeting three major roads in each province. There is going to be a lot of money to be released for maintenance and rehabilitation. The new Zinara board will make sure the collection, disbursement and auditing is done properly especially the collection, which is where we tend to have leakages of funds.
We want to nip it in the bud.”
He said there were many roads that needed to be rehabilitated and Government was looking at engaging PPPs in addition to funds from Zinara. Minister Matiza said Government was not slowing down on road projects and would ensure the roads meet Sadc standards.
The Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway to be funded by the Infrastructural Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) at an estimated cost of $350 million is expected to commence within the next two years, while the Harare-Bulawayo dualisation has already started. The Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway is part of Zimbabwe’s regional road corridor number R9 which runs from the border with the Zambia to the border with South Africa. It is also part of the trans-African Highway which runs from Cairo to Gaborone through to Pretoria, Kimberly. The highway is set to be rehabilitated and widened to meet Southern Africa Transport and Communications Commission Standards.
Among other projects, Government has started tarring the 300-kilometre Karoi-Binga Road after Treasury availed $10 million for the project. The road, which is expected to provide a much shorter option for people travelling from Harare to Victoria Falls by at least 200km, requires $300 million to be completed. The funds from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and received through the two percent tax on electronic transfers, has seen the District Development Fund tarring about 10km of the road.
The TSP recognises that functional public infrastructure remains a key enabler to unlocking economic growth potential, increase competiveness and productivity, whilst equipping public services to meet demand. Transportation is an essential ingredient of almost everything man does to supply himself with the necessities of life and by making road infrastructure a priority, the Government is geared to uplift the lives of the people.
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