By Lerato Ndlovu
Government has urged Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) to work with road developmental project stakeholders in order to achieve the vision of a world class road network by 2023.
While addressing citizens at a strategic planning workshop in Kariba recently, Human Resources Director in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Andrew Murungweni said ZINARA is supposed to come up with strategies that seek to increase disbursements to road authorities so as to attain world class road network in the next 3 years.
“The revenue that ZINARA is mobilising falls short of this mammoth task, they are supposed to consult and involve road stakeholders in developmental projects since they play a big role too.
“Therefore, I want to urge the ZINARA board and executive to pursue other innovative strategies such as Public-Private Partnership (PPPs) where applicable and mobilize funds from local financial institutions to increase the revenue mobilization base,” he said.
ZINARA board chairman, Engineer Michael Madanha said his board was eager to collect sufficient funds for roads projects.
“As Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA), our major thrust is to make sure we collect revenue and fund road constructions (which are) implemented through the District Development Fund (DDF),Rural District Councils(RDCs),Department of Roads(DoR) and urban councils, to bring development in the country,” he said.
Government has prioritised road rehabilitation as key to economic growth and development with tarring of Magunje-Binga road which provides a shortest passage from Harare, now in full swing with more than 20km having been tarred.
Dualization of roads such as the Harare Bulawayo highway and Harare Masvingo highway, widening of some major highways has also been witnessed around the country so as to try and meet the international standard.
