Story by Tafara Chikumira
GOVERNMENT’S move to rehabilitate urban roads is bearing fruit with the City of Gweru getting a major facelift through the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP).
The programme has proved to be the right tonic in Gweru’s western suburbs where roads which were in a sorry state are being attended to.
The rehabilitation of Mambo-Woodlands Road, Chidhanana Road in Mkoba 16 and Igonde Road next to Mkoba Teacher’s College has put the opposition-led local authority to shame for its inadequacies, while bringing joy to Gweru residents.
“We are very happy with the progress that is happening here. This place used to be an eyesore. It was not giving a good picture to our city since the road is just next to Mkoba Teacher’s College. We are very grateful to our leaders who have remembered us in such a way,” said a Gweru resident.
“Well, it’s finally happening. I am glad that we can finally navigate in this road without worrying much. We used to have problems with potholes and often we found ourselves changing ball joints and tyres every now and then. Now that is a thing of the past and it’s quite refreshing,” noted another.
Government says it has lined up similar projects across the Midlands Province in line with the Second Republic’s mantra of inclusive development as explained by Midlands Provincial Roads Engineer, Engineer Denis Mupfurira.
“The President’s mantra is that no one and no place shall be left behind. We are doing similar projects in Kwekwe and Gokwe as well. We had seen that councils were finding it difficult to cope with the demands of the roads and realised that motorists were at the receiving end and as such we are helping with these roads and drainages as well.”
One of the contractors, Mr Farai Mashingaidze, says they are responding to President Mnangagwa’s plea for Zimbabweans to be masters of their own destiny.
“The President is on record saying we should build or country brick by brick. We are simply saying we are playing our part by rehabilitating road by road. I know some people thought we don’t have capacity as locals, but we are here to prove them wrong. We are returning the favour to government which showed confidence in us,” he said.
Government took over the rehabilitation of the country’s road network including urban roads after opposition led local authorities slept on duty.