{"id":1232,"date":"2025-11-11T07:13:27","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T07:13:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/?p=1232"},"modified":"2025-11-11T07:13:29","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T07:13:29","slug":"bulawayo-vic-falls-road-crawl-exposes-zanu-pfs-rot-in-infrastructure-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/?p=1232","title":{"rendered":"Bulawayo\u2013Vic Falls Road crawl exposes ZANU-PF\u2019s rot in infrastructure projects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by BEKEZELA NDEBELE<\/em>
LUPANE \u2013 WHILE the long-overdue rehabilitation of the Bulawayo\u2013Victoria Falls highway has been widely welcomed as a necessary step toward restoring one of Zimbabwe\u2019s key economic arteries, citizens and transport experts have condemned the snail-paced progress and deep-seated corruption that continue to cripple national infrastructure projects.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Residents of Matabeleland North have sharply criticised the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development for what they describe as a lack of urgency and accountability in the rehabilitation programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project\u2014meant to upgrade a critical section of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) North-South Corridor that links Beitbridge to Chirundu\u2014has been progressing at a rate that many call \u201cembarrassingly slow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ministry, led by Transport Minister Felix Mhona, recently issued a progress update claiming work was \u201cwell underway\u201d with cement stabilisation currently in progress around Insuza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The statement added that the Bulawayo\u2013Victoria Falls Road covers a total length of 440.4 kilometres, but only 19.2 kilometres have so far been completed and opened to traffic\u2014less than 5% of the entire project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The remaining 421.2 kilometres are still under construction, with no clear completion date announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a key project for boosting regional connectivity, tourism, and trade, we are committed to the journey. While there is still a long way to go, we are paving the way forward, #KilometerByKilometer,\u201d minister Mhona’s office stated in a social media post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, that assurance has done little to calm public frustration. Many Zimbabweans view the government\u2019s repeated promises and self-congratulatory statements as a cover for mismanagement and systemic corruption within ZANU-PF\u2019s infrastructure programmes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social media users reacted with anger and mockery, questioning the government\u2019s transparency and competence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen did the project start? When will it finish? What\u2019s the total cost, and who\u2019s funding it? Who are the contractors?\u201d asked one Lupane resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another citizen, Mauricy Nyazika, criticised the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union \u2013 Patriotic Front (ZANU\u2013PF) party\u2019s culture of mediocrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen they (ZANU-PF supporters) celebrate opening just 6km out of 440km!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Others echoed similar sentiments. \u201c*Nineteen kilometres out of 440 is barely 4%. Not even worth a press release,\u201d wrote a user identifying as TheBush Master.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another, Makanaka Zvekutodaro, fumed: \u201cEven when other countries rebuild their roads, they don\u2019t trumpet it daily like you do. ZANU-PF\u2019s obsession with propaganda is insulting to struggling citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zimbabwe\u2019s highway system\u2014once among the best in southern Africa\u2014has deteriorated dramatically over the past two decades due to chronic neglect, looting, and poor maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Beitbridge\u2013Chirundu Highway, a key SADC trade route linking South Africa to Zambia, has become a symbol of both economic decay and corruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Repeatedly, the government has awarded multi-million-dollar road contracts to politically connected companies lacking the capacity or transparency to deliver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (ZINARA) has long been accused of inflating tenders, diverting funds, and mismanaging road maintenance levies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Investigations by the Auditor-General have repeatedly exposed irregularities in road funds, including payments to \u201cghost contractors\u201d and missing financial records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, few high-profile arrests or prosecutions have followed, reinforcing the perception that corruption under ZANU-PF is not only tolerated but institutionalised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bulawayo\u2013Victoria Falls road is one of Zimbabwe\u2019s most important tourism corridors, linking the country\u2019s second-largest city to the world-renowned Victoria Falls\u2014one of Africa\u2019s most visited natural wonders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The road also carries significant regional trade traffic from Botswana, Namibia and Zambia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frequent accidents, potholes, and deteriorating bridges have made the journey perilous, deterring both local and international tourists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The state of disrepair has also hurt businesses that rely on cross-border movement and logistics, further weakening Zimbabwe\u2019s economic competitiveness in the SADC region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Critics argue that ZANU-PF\u2019s decades of misrule and self-enrichment have left the country\u2019s transport infrastructure in ruins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite repeated \u201cgroundbreaking ceremonies\u201d and grand announcements, the results on the ground remain dismal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cZimbabwe\u2019s roads reflect the moral decay of its leadership,\u201d said an independent economist based in Bulawayo. \u201cInstead of building highways to prosperity, ZANU-PF has paved roads to corruption and poverty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the government celebrates \u201ckilometre-by-kilometre\u201d progress, citizens continue to endure cratered highways, inflated contracts, and promises that never materialise\u2014proof that, under ZANU-PF, even the country\u2019s most essential infrastructure has become a victim of politics and plunder.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by BEKEZELA NDEBELELUPANE \u2013 WHILE the long-overdue rehabilitation of the Bulawayo\u2013Victoria Falls highway has been widely welcomed as a necessary step toward restoring one of Zimbabwe\u2019s key economic arteries, citizens and transport experts have condemned the snail-paced progress and deep-seated corruption that continue to cripple national infrastructure projects. Residents of Matabeleland North have sharply criticised […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1233,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,44,11,45,3,12,41],"tags":[190],"class_list":["post-1232","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-local","category-must-read","category-national","category-news","category-politics","category-politics-news","tag-victoria-falls-rehabilitation-road-works"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Victoria-Falls-rehabilitation-road-works-150x150.jpeg","medium":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Victoria-Falls-rehabilitation-road-works-300x196.jpeg","medium_large":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Victoria-Falls-rehabilitation-road-works.jpeg","large":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Victoria-Falls-rehabilitation-road-works.jpeg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Victoria-Falls-rehabilitation-road-works.jpeg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Victoria-Falls-rehabilitation-road-works.jpeg","post-thumbnail":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Victoria-Falls-rehabilitation-road-works.jpeg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"administrator","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a3d5ebfe727f13fb325bd400aaaf5e789d3e2e20898883d9ae8e3d3d42d58cef?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"by BEKEZELA NDEBELELUPANE \u2013 WHILE the long-overdue rehabilitation of the Bulawayo\u2013Victoria Falls highway has been widely welcomed as a necessary step toward restoring one of Zimbabwe\u2019s key economic arteries, citizens and transport experts have condemned the snail-paced progress and deep-seated corruption that continue to cripple national infrastructure projects. Residents of Matabeleland North have sharply criticised […]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["Featured","Local","Must Read","National","News","Politics","Politics"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":139,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":4,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Victoria-Falls-rehabilitation-road-works.jpeg",600,391,false],"medium":["https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Victoria-Falls-rehabilitation-road-works-300x196.jpeg",300,196,true],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Victoria-Falls-rehabilitation-road-works-150x150.jpeg",150,150,true]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"administrator","author_link":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/?author=2"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a3d5ebfe727f13fb325bd400aaaf5e789d3e2e20898883d9ae8e3d3d42d58cef?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"Featured<\/a> Local<\/a> Must Read<\/a> National<\/a> News<\/a> Politics<\/a> Politics<\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1232","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1232"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1232\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1234,"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1232\/revisions\/1234"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matabeletoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}