The District Development Fund (DDF) in Zimbabwe is currently rehabilitating the rural road network damaged by the heavy rains. The government recently declared the country’s roads a state of disaster which prompted the fund to embark on the rehabilitation project using US $400m from the Zimbabwe National Road Authority (Zinara).
According to DDF acting director roads Engineer Goodwell Mapako, the fund was initially targeting sections that were severely damaged. “We have embarked on a massive road rehabilitation programme across the nation and we are initially targeting those sections which were severely damaged by heavy rains,” he said during a tour of of Kwekwe-Mvuma road which is under rehabilitation.
He further added that the money they have received so far from Zinara falls far short from their budget, which was initially placed at US $1.7bn for the rehabilitation of our 32000km of road across the country. “Nevertheless, we are grateful and hopeful that very soon we are going to receive more funding from the Government,” said Eng. Mapako
“We are targeting those roads that are in dire need of repair so that communities are able to travel. We are not going to wait for the rains to stop but whenever we get a chance, we work so that our roads become trafficable,” he affirmed.
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First phase works
The acting director said that the fund is planning to rehabilitate at least 1000km of road in every province during the first phase. “But in the long run we want every kilometre of our 32000km road network to have been rehabilitated,” he said.
The director also explained that the rehabilitation project is in preparation of a bumper harvest the country is expecting this year as a result of heavy rains received this season. Moreover, the country has also started receiving Covid-19 vaccines and the fund wants to ensure that they reach every part of the country once the distribution starts.
