Insuza section of Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway opens as road works progres
Story by Lisa Masuku-Kurira
A FIVE-kilometre stretch of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway in Insuza was officially opened to traffic on Wednesday, marking another milestone in the ongoing reconstruction of one of Zimbabwe’s key tourism and trade corridors.
The newly completed section forms part of the broader Victoria Falls Highway rehabilitation project, which links Bulawayo to the resort city of Victoria Falls, a major gateway for both local and international tourists.
Motorists welcomed the opening, saying the improved road surface will significantly ease travel and enhance access to the country’s premier tourist destination.
“It was a struggle to drive on this road. This is the development that we like to see happening in our country,” a motorist said.
Another added: “This road actually leads to the seven wonders of the world. We are happy to see such progress towards developing our roads.”
Residents in Insuza also expressed relief, noting that the upgraded road is expected to improve transport availability and connectivity in the area.
“We are happy to see our local road being prioritised. It was now a hustle to get transport, but now that this road is rehabilitated, we believe it won’t be a struggle to get transport anymore,” a local resident said.
The contractor, Masimba Holdings, which is responsible for rehabilitating a 51-kilometre section of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway, said the project remains on schedule.
“This is the first stretch that we have completed. We were contracted to 51km of this road, so we are targeting to complete it by August,” said Masimba Holdings project manager, Engineer Blessing Nhau.
Government officials said the road upgrade is critical to economic growth, trade efficiency and tourism development.
“Government, with this flawless transport, means in terms of economics, businesses are able to meet their deadlines. And it also reduces transport costs,” Matebeleland North Provincial Roads Engineer, Engineer Xolani Ncube said.
The rehabilitation of major highways forms part of government’s wider infrastructure development programme aimed at improving national connectivity and supporting Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 target of attaining upper-middle-income status.
