The Sunday News
Sharon Chimenya, Masvingo Correspondent
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has directed the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development to avail funds for the completion of the Chivi-Mhandamabwe Road which he said was key in boosting the provincial and national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The road rehabilitation commenced last year and had stalled due to financial constraints with 12 kilometres remaining out of 48.
The President, who was in Chivi District, Masvingo recently where he officially commissioned the rehabilitated Chombwe piped water scheme said the Ministry of Finance was going to avail funds for the completion of the remaining 12km.
“I had a tour of the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road which is still under construction. The first stretch of the road that we travelled in from Ngundu was in good shape but the last stretch was in bad shape. I was told that there is 12km remaining and that the company that was undertaking the project ran out of funds for the completion of the rehabilitation,” he said.
President Mnangagwa told Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Development Cde Clemence Chiduwa to tell the Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube to avail funds from the Treasury and ensure the road was completed.
“I didn’t know that this road is so important. When we are told about these things in our offices, we will be thinking that these people are just after votes. So, I have spoken to the minister that you will be given money for the 12kms,” he said.
Some road works in the province such as the Chivi-Mhandamabwe, Gutu-Kurai, Gutu-Buhera, Zimuto-Kapota, Rutenga-Zvishavane, Boli-Sango are still not complete due to delays in the disbursement of funds, the bureaucratic bottlenecks and lengthy procurement systems.
Meanwhile, the Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Cde Ezra Chadzamira said the Chivi-Mhandamabwe-Tokwe Road has economic value to the province.
“The socio-economic value of the Chivi-Mhandamabwe-Tokwe Road to our province and national GDP cannot be overemphasised as it links to trunk roads Masvingo-Beitbridge to the south and Masvingo-Bulawayo to the north.
The road is mainly used by the heavy cargo trucks serving mining giants such as Unki and Mimosa by linking them to the South African market. Furthermore, the road provides the shortest route from Beitbridge to northern areas of Zimbabwe which include Gweru and mining towns of Kwekwe and Kadoma,” he said.
He said Chivi turn-off had been identified as a site for the development of the smart city concept that will leverage opportunities presented by the Tugwi-Mukosi Dam and Chivi-Mhandamabwe-Tokwe Road.
