
The Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) has tightened its noose on companies contracted by the government to rehabilitate national roads after blaming some companies for substandard works.
These developments come after protests against private companies over shoddy work after potholes appeared in some roads that were rehabilitated within a few months.
The government launched the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Program (ERRP) in 2021 after President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared the country’s roads a national disaster.
Under the Emergency Response Programme, the government aims to rehabilitate 10,000 kilometers of roads across the country, but mainly urban roads and major roads.
However, there are concerns about shoddy work being done by some contractors, with the government threatening to blacklist them.
Zinara CEO Nkosinathi Ncube told the Zimbabwe Independent that the road manager would not pay contractors who fail to meet the required standards and specifications.
“After the Roads Authority submits the Interim Payment Certificate (IPC), it invites the Zinara engineer to conduct comprehensive quality checks and ensure that the work has been done in accordance with the specifications stipulated in the scope of works,” he said.
“If the work does not meet the required standards and specifications, Zinara does not pay. This model of project monitoring and evaluation will go a long way in improving the quality of road works being implemented.
Ncube added that parastatals have greater technical capacity to inspect and approve road construction projects implemented by local authorities before finalizing payment withdrawals.
“We have been growing over the past year
“Our technical capacity by engaging regional engineers plays crucial monitoring assessment and support to road authorities across the country,” Ncube said.
“They are equipped and qualified to inspect and approve road works carried out by road authorities before withdrawing payments.”
The Zinara boss said the state-controlled parastatal was constantly working with stakeholders to increase funding available to road drainage authorities.
Zinara is constantly working with various stakeholders to increase the funding available to be disbursed to road authorities.
However, Ncube also revealed that the organization is not raising funds to build new roads.
According to him, the institution was also exploring ways to improve the value of payments to local authorities so that they could deliver their services more efficiently on the ground.
He said they are also exploring disbursing saved payments of value in the form of fuel or even capital items such as machinery.
The e-toll collection project is currently underway, the tender process has closed recently and we will appoint a vendor soon,” Zinara said.
“We are confident that our strategic agenda for this year is strong enough to help us achieve our intended goals,” Ncube said.
In January this year, our sister newspaper The Standard reported that Bulawayo City Council was set to receive a Z$12 billion windfall from Zenara for road rehabilitation.
According to the council’s latest minutes, Zenara noted that the local authority’s allocation for this year amounts to Z$12.1 billion, which is far less than the Z$117 billion the city needs for routine and regular maintenance.
“The City intends to use 30% of the allocation, $3,637,287,936.08 ANG for routine maintenance and $8,487,005,184.21 ANG for routine maintenance. Routine maintenance will include pothole patching, local pavement reconstruction work, signage, road markings, and street lighting repairs throughout City, while regular maintenance will include reconstruction work on Wellington Road, Murchinson Road and Love 5 roads.
The Council noted that the priority roads in need of urgent rehabilitation are 23.1 kilometers long and will cost an estimated US$20.6 million or Zimbabwean dollars 117.3 billion using the central bank auction price of US$1 to US$5,790,0545. Zimbabwe as of last November 30. year.
“Given budget constraints, the City would have had the capacity to rehabilitate the first seven roads listed on the Major Priority Roads schedule (10.8 km) at an estimated cost of $5,650,790.
“The source of funding will be the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Program No. 2, the Council’s own source of revenue and authorization funds,” the minutes of the meeting stated.