Makuti-Chirundu road survey in Zimbabwe almost complete

The final survey for the rehabilitation of the Makuti-Chirundu Road (Hells Gate)in Zimbabwe is expected to be finalized this November.

According to the government Treasury the results of the survey will inform the Japanese government on the allocation of funds for the project in 2018. In 2015 Zimbabwe and Japan revised their Country Assistance Programme. Pursuant to this development, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe invited President Mugabe for a state visit in March 2016.

The two countries signed a number of agreements including the Grant Aid Assistance for Economic-Social Development projects for the procurement of bitumen valued at US$5.3m. In this regard, the grant was utilized to procure 4 744 tonnes of bitumen; 1 164 tonnes of cationic emulsified asphalt and 1 446 tonnes of cutback bitumen.

Also read: Harare City receives US$ 26m for roads rehabilitation

Furthermore, the product is equally distributed to eight provinces excluding Harare and Bulawayo. Besides, Japan in Chinhoyi handed over the bitumen to the Government of Zimbabwe on the 30th October 2017. Willard Manungo, the Finance and Economic Development Permanent Secretary said that the Asian nation has provided valuable support towards infrastructure development in Zimbabwe.

“Indeed our cooperation with Japan has yielded fruits which the Government could not have achieved on its own given its limited fiscal space,” he said.

Japanese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Toshiyuki Iwado said connectivity in every country is strengthened by good quality roads.

“Today I have noticed another type of connectivity that this grant has built up. We can further strengthen connectivity through the development of quality roads,” concluded Ambassador Iwado.