Story by John Nhandara
BUHERA-THE Second Republic’s rural industrialisation agenda continues to bear fruit, with Buhera District undergoing rapid transformation driven by key infrastructure projects that are fostering local economic growth and community empowerment.
A major highlight of the development is the ongoing construction of the 120-kilometre Road, a flagship project that is set to improve accessibility, facilitate agricultural marketing, and reduce travel times for commuters and transporters in the district.
Local residents have welcomed the project, citing employment creation and improved mobility.
“We have been employed as a result of this road project, and it is exciting to see development happening in our area,” a local resident said.
“Travel times will be greatly reduced. The road was in a poor state, but now we can see progress,” a community member said.
Engineer Shelton Ncube, the contractor overseeing the works, confirmed that significant progress has been made in the first phase of the project.
“The first phase that was given to JRG is an 11.5 kilometre section which is our first. 6.5 reseal and 5 kilometres of new construction. Out of the 5 kilometres we have done 1 kilometre which has been surfaced with 30 mm asphalt overlay. We also have a kilometre which is ready for priming and surfacing. There is also a section which is ready from the crusher run which we are currently getting from the prevail quarry mine. We are also on course in terms of constructing a bridge. We have done the footings and stiff fixing for the stems,” he said.
Complementing the road project is the establishment of Prevail Quarry Mine, located just 2 kilometres from Murambinda Growth Point, which has become a strategic source of building material for the district and surrounding areas.
Local builder Mr Western Mukombera noted the convenience the mine has brought to construction projects.
“We used to have a torrid time accessing quarry stones which are part of building material in the area so we applaud the establishment if the quarry mine,” he said.
Mrs Ropafadzo Chikuni, Manager at Prevail Quarry Mine, said their production capacity is keeping up with local demand and directly supporting national infrastructure development.
“We are supplying JRG with raw materials for the road construction. Our operations are aligned with the needs of the local and regional markets,” she said.
Buhera stands as a shining example of how infrastructure investment and rural industrialisation can foster inclusive growth and align with the broader goals of Vision 2030, which seeks to modernise Zimbabwe’s economy and uplift rural communities.
The district’s development journey reaffirms that rural investment is not only critical to provincial economic growth but also essential in achieving balanced national development.
