THE Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) has announced a historic milestone in road maintenance funding, disbursing a record ZiG4,7 billion to road authorities in 2024 and achieving 37 000 kilometres of roadworks nationwide.
According to the road administration, 63 out of 94 road authorities accessed their full allocations, a sharp increase from just over 20 authorities in 2023.
Manicaland and Mashonaland East saw all their road authorities fully utilise their budgets—an improvement attributed to enhanced revenue collection by the road fund manager, as well as improved acquittal and project management systems by the road authorities.
This progress has also been influenced by specialised training programmes provided by Zinara, which have strengthened project management and financial accountability among road authorities.
“We are a public entity, and it is our duty to be accountable to the public. The increased budget utilisation by road authorities is a clear indication that our efforts are bearing fruit,” Zinara chief executive officer Nkosinathi Ncube said, highlighting the organisation’s commitment to transparency and shared accountability.
Regarding the impact of this record funds uptake on road maintenance, the year 2024 marked a giant leap towards Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030, with road authorities achieving 122% of their planned works.
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“A total of 37 000 kilometres of roads were maintained, far exceeding the national target of 30 000 kilometres and surpassing the previous year’s achievement of 23 000 kilometres,” the organisation noted.
Key projects included the rehabilitation of the Bulawayo-Nkayi road, the Nyanga-Ruwangwe resurfacing project, and the Shurugwi-Mhandamabwe 42-kilometre road rehabilitation, among others.
The Zinara CEO emphasised that the responsibility of road authorities was not only to ensure that allocated funds were used efficiently but also to guarantee that the quality of work would ensure the roads’ longevity.
He, therefore, urged road authorities to ensure contractors deliver quality work to maximise the impact of allocated resources and encouraged them to engage their communities.
Looking ahead to 2025, Zinara has set an ambitious budget of ZiG11,6 billion under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme 2.
This represents a substantial increase from the previous year’s allocation. Additionally, following the commendable impact of last year’s efforts, Zinara plans to provide two million litres of fuel to road authorities to address operational challenges and further enhance road rehabilitation efforts.
“The 2024 disbursement report underscores a new era of efficiency and accountability in Zimbabwe’s road maintenance sector,” Zinara said.
“Given the substantially high amount of rainfall received this year, road conditions have been significantly compromised.”
Consequently, the number of roads in need of maintenance is considerable. With improved budget utilisation, increased funding, and targeted support, Zinara is paving the way for effective roadworks in the coming year.
As preparations for 2025 disbursements are already underway, the organisation remains committed to driving national development through robust infrastructure projects.
Exchange rate in December 31, 2024: ZiG25,8:US$1
