The government says it is prioritising in making the Bulawayo–Maphisa–Gwanda Road passable rather than fully completed, ahead of this year’s Independence Day celebrations in Matabeleland South.
Zimbabwe Independence Day commemorations for 2026 will be hosted in Maphisa, the first time the district in Matabeleland South province has staged the national event.
During an inspection tour on Thursday, Felix Mhona, the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, said the immediate focus was to remove major bottlenecks along the road to allow delegates and residents to travel to the venue.
“We are here to deliver for the betterment of the people. We are not only showcasing this for an event but it is building our nation,” Mhona said.
The government has previously said hosting national events in different provinces is aimed at spurring local infrastructure development.
Mhona said work on the road would continue beyond the celebrations.
“We are not here because we are moving towards independence; it is independence thereafter for the people of Matabeleland. Some have said they are marginalised, but I tend to differ, we are doing this for the betterment of our people as Zimbabweans,” he said.
The minister added that contractors working on the project were now operating around the clock and would be expected to account for their progress.
“I am happy that as we move we are seeing the work ethic of our contractors where we are saying it is now 24/7,” he said. “They must be accountable to whatever they do and we are here today to interrogate how they are doing this.”
Provincial Roads Engineer Mangisi Nkomo said the section between the 34km and 98km pegs, about 63km in total, had been divided into seven segments, each assigned to a different contractor.
“These contractors are each working on about nine kilometres of road construction up to surfacing,” he said.
The companies involved include Derivative Resources, Geoflex, JR Goddard, Dawlink Civil Engineers, Bidawell, Masimba Holdings and Moresurface.
Eng Nkomo said that from the 98km peg to Maphisa, about 16.4km would receive an asphalt overlay, while another section towards Mahetshe – the venue for the National Children’s Party, would see six kilometres reconstructed and surfaced.
He said the priority was to ensure the road could be used safely by the time of the celebrations.
“Before independence we cannot surface, we will go up to base one,” Eng Nkomo said. “But we want to make sure that the road is going to be trafficable and that all delegates are able to reach the independence venue.”
Officials say work on the road is still at an early stage but they are confident key sections will be ready before the mid-April deadline.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution in Matabeleland South, Albert Nguluvhe, urged contractors to extend their working hours to speed up progress.
“My appeal is that contractors start earlier and finish later,” he said. “We have said there should be no Saturday or Sunday, work should continue so that the project is completed on time.”
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