By Aldridge Dzvene | Positive Eye News
In a significant stride towards Zimbabwe’s infrastructure-led growth agenda, the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) has reaffirmed its pivotal role in national development through the commencement of the long-anticipated upgrade of the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls Highway.
The project, now fully underway with five contractors already deployed across strategic sections, marks a decisive chapter in transforming the country’s transport corridors into modern, efficient conduits of economic activity. At the heart of this progress is ZINARA’s commitment to not only collecting and disbursing funds but also steering national connectivity towards Vision 2030.
Announced during the organisation’s ninth Annual General Meeting held in Harare, ZINARA revealed it had registered a 36 percent growth in revenue collections in 2024, amassing ZiG$8.9 billion, with ZiG$4 billion disbursed to road authorities. These figures represent more than financial performance, they embody institutional resilience, accountability, and progress.
Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Honourable Joshua Sacco, highlighted the strategic importance of the project: “We are happy to report that work has commenced on the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls Road, which is a key tourism and trade route. Five contractors are now on the ground. This road is vital for movement from the south and across borders, linking Zimbabwe to regional markets and tourism destinations.”
Indeed, the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls Highway is not merely a domestic route. It is a national and regional economic artery that sustains trade, tourism, and intercity mobility. The renewed focus on its upgrade reflects Zimbabwe’s growing emphasis on regional integration, tourism growth, and economic competitiveness. With thousands of vehicles using this corridor each month, including international tourists and cross-border traders, the road’s rehabilitation is not only timely, but essential.
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development, through its Chairperson Mr Tawanda Karikoga, commended the administration’s growing synergy with road authorities across the country. “ZINARA has shown a strong sense of national responsibility. Their support to local and rural road authorities has created a spirit of responsiveness and improved local development,” he said.
Beyond physical repairs, the highway project signals a deeper transformation. ZINARA’s leadership is reimagining the role of infrastructure in national progress. According to CEO Mr Nkosinathi Ncube, the agency is strengthening its oversight and capacity development functions to ensure that funds translate into tangible improvements. “Many councils still need technical support and equipment. We are not only disbursing money, we are equipping institutions to deliver,” he noted.
This approach resonates with the Second Republic’s broader vision, a Zimbabwe that delivers, builds, and connects. Infrastructure is no longer a background issue. It is central to unlocking trade, tourism, agriculture, and regional investment.
The Bulawayo–Victoria Falls Highway, in particular, holds symbolic and economic value. As one of the gateways to Zimbabwe’s crown jewel, Victoria Falls, it directly supports the country’s tourism brand and international profile. Enhancing it sends a clear message that Zimbabwe is not only open for business but is investing in the backbone that makes that business viable.
Moreover, with Africa’s trade corridors becoming more important under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), rehabilitating major highways is a strategic imperative. Zimbabwe is positioning itself as a reliable land-linked partner in the region, offering safe, modern, and efficient infrastructure to global investors and local industries alike.
As the project progresses, communities along the corridor are expected to benefit through improved access to markets, new employment opportunities, and safer travel. The ripple effects, economic, social, and institutional, will extend far beyond the road itself.
This is not merely about resurfacing a stretch of tarmac. It is about restoring confidence, renewing national vision, and reinforcing the foundations of inclusive growth. Through ZINARA’s efforts, Zimbabwe is demonstrating that public institutions can lead with purpose, that partnerships can deliver progress, and that roads can carry not just traffic, but transformation.
And so, as construction vehicles hum and workers press forward across Matabeleland North and beyond, Zimbabweans can look ahead with optimism, because with each kilometre rebuilt, a nation moves closer to its development aspirations, step by deliberate step.
