Zimbabwe needs $5,5 billion to fix roads – Joram Gumbo

The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Dr Joram Gumbo has said the country needs $5,5 billion to repair the road network.

He said over US$5.5 billion is required to rehabilitate the country’s roads ravaged by rains in the last season, the country’s road network is in a sorry state with the US$200 million harnessed by Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (ZINARA) inadequate for maintenance.

Minister Gumbo, who was meeting stakeholders in Mutare, said strategising on improving the country’s road network is critical as it is key to development.

Manicaland Minister of State Monica Mutsvangwa noted that the Eastern Highlands is a tourism hub and as such the quick wins are easily accrued once the road infrastructure facilitates ease movement.

Manicaland Minister of State Monica Mutsvangwa

Local authorities have also been urged to ensure their budgets cater more for service delivery rather than wages.

Manicaland province was allocated more than US$10.2 million under the Emergency State Roads Rehabilitation Programme with the resealing of Chivhu-Nyazura and the Rusape-Nyanga 10 km stretches, among others, having been completed so far.

This year ZINARA has set aside US$232 million for road maintenance. – state media