THE Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) has expressed its commitment to rehabilitating and constructing the country’s roads saying it had mobilised enough funds for the projects.
Speaking during the official opening of the Solomon Mujuru Drive, formerly Kirkman Road, in Harare this week, Zinara board chairperson George Manyaya called on motorists to continue paying for their licences and related fees.
He said the road authority was working with the Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion ministry to complete these projects.
“As Zinara, we have the money to do these projects. We are working with the Treasury and we are able to do all these projects and programmes,” he said.
“I want to thank all the residents for paying licences and taxes. I want to promise you all that we are going to continue with this project.”
Manyaya, however, lamented the poor state of Zimbabwe’s major roads, saying Zinara would continue working on improving them.
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“Our roads have been neglected for decades and we are happy now that we are working on our roads with the help of the ministers of state. We have been to Shurugwi and this shows that we are leaving no one and no place behind,” he said.
The opening of Solomon Mujuru Drive is expected to reduce congestion, with government recently completing 5km out of the targeted 12km stretch of the road.
In his remarks, Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Felix Mhona said government was targeting to launch several other road projects across the country.
“We are also working on the construction of Chirundu and Karoi-Binga roads as well,” he said, adding that government was following Sadc standards to construct the roads for sustainability.
“If you check, some years ago, we used spray and chip which is cheaper in terms of supplying materials, but not durable, but right now, we are using asphalt overlay, which is durable and guarantees roads can be used for so many years without reconstructing them,” he said.
Harare Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister Charles Tawengwa applauded the road’s completion saying it would help residents to easily access social services such as health facilities and schools as they will reach these facilities on time.
“The construction of this road has led to job creation for the youths who were employed and working with Zinara during its construction,” he said.