Major roads in Harare closed for rehabilitation

MAJOR roads in Harare have been closed for massive rehabilitation ahead of the 44th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government Summit scheduled to be held in Harare in August.

The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development is leading the repair effort, which will involve at least 40 major highways in and around the city. Due to construction businesses working nonstop yesterday, important highways in the capital city, including Julius Nyerere, Samora Machel Avenue, Abdel Gamal Nasser, and Leopold Takawira Street, were congested.

The roads infrastructure where the ministry shall apply asphaltic concrete overlay includes Samora Machel (Jaggers to Kuwadzana Roundabout), Dieppe roundabout, Glenara/Samora junction, Glenara/ED Mnangagwa Road, Chiremba (through Braeside), Robert Mugabe/Abdel Gamal Nasser, Josiah Tongogara, Harare Drive roundabout Jaggers, Lomagundi Road (selected sections), Simon Muzenda Street/Robert Mugabe junction to Tongogara Road, and Simon Muzenda Street/Robert Mugabe junction to Tongogara Road.

The ministry acknowledged the changes in a statement, stating that they hope to wrap up the Greater Harare Roads procurement process and start construction before March 31, 2024. The statement said, "The 44th SADC Heads of State and Government Summit shall be hosted by the Republic of Zimbabwe in August of this year."

"The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development is entrusted with building and renovating road infrastructure as part of the preparation works to ensure an efficient and seamless flow of delegates and citizens during the summit. In order to guarantee value for money, the ministry has started a competitive bidding procedure to invite contractors that meet Category A requirements to participate in the tender for the aforementioned Greater Harare highways.

"The urban portion of the Harare–Chirundu Road project, from Julius Nyerere Way to Westgate traffic circle (Second Street and Lomagundi Road), is being rebuilt, enlarged, and dualized and includes street lighting and landscaping. This work is part of the SADC Summit road building project. The ministry has instructed Fossil Contracting, the contractor assigned to that segment of the Harare–Chirundu Road project, to give the work immediate priority and finish it by July 31, 2024, at the latest.

According to the government, the Cabinet gave its approval for the Harare-Chirundu Road last May, and the groundbreaking ceremony took place on February 2, 2024. Exodus and Company, the company carrying out the Harare-Kanyemba Road Project, has also been instructed by the ministry to give priority to the urban portion extending from the Lomagundi intersection with Second Street to the new Parliament Boulevard main access.

By July 31, 2024, at the latest, this stretch must be dualized, restored, and landscaped with street lights.Last but not least, the ministry has instructed Bitumen World to give priority to the New Parliament Main Accesses, including street lighting and landscaping, which also need to be finished by July 31, 2024, in accordance with the Cabinet approval received in April 2023 for Bitumen World to construct the North-South Corridor Link and the new Parliament Main Accesses.

"The ministry's commitment to providing significant advancements in infrastructure development and guaranteeing adequate road infrastructure in support of the August SADC Summit is demonstrated by the ongoing works." As one of the main pillars supporting economic development, the ministry is also working to rebuild, renovate, and build the nation's roads to encourage trafficability and create a modern road system. This is because an effective transportation system is essential for trade, investment, and connectivity, according to the statement.

The ministry has stated that it will not tolerate any more potholes and that it will continue with the infrastructure development trajectory that has seen numerous teams in the provinces start extensive pothole mending projects. The development also occurs after government contracts were awarded to begin building approximately 26 km of access roads in the Mount Hampden area. These roads are intended to relieve expected traffic in Harare's northwest by connecting to the New Parliament Building, Bindura Road, and other nearby places.

The company doing the job, Bitumen World, is now in the area building roughly 13 km of the Old Mazowe Road starting at the Westgate roundabout. By July 31 of this year, it is anticipated that all of the roads will be finished.

The government will rebuild the remaining portion of the road up to Mazowe later this year, connecting it with Bindura Road, after building the 13 km. The other route being built at the moment is a 7-kilometer boulevard that runs directly from Bindura route to the New Parliament Building.

By the middle of the year, all eight lanes—four on the right and four on the left—will be completed. The other two are a 2 km road that will also go to the New Parliament Building and the 4,7 km crescent that surrounds the Parliament. A groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the roads in Mount Hampden was recently held by Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development Felix Mhona, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Harare Metropolitan Province Charles Tavengwa, and other government representatives.