Criminals damaging roads to sabotage Gvt

Staff Reporter

Government has noted with dismay how some criminal elements are destroying road works being carried out under the Emergency Roads Rehabilitation Programme 2, in a bid to discredit Government efforts, a Government official has said.

Addressing the media during a Post Cabinet Media Briefing in Harare yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said “it has also come to the attention of Cabinet that some criminal elements are clandestinely damaging roads works under the Emergency Roads Rehabilitation Programme 2, apparently to discredit Government efforts.”

Minister Mutsvangwa, however assured the nation that Law enforcement agents have intensified efforts to arrest the culprits and bring them to book.

She went on to highlight a number of road projects that are currently under rehabilitation and those that have been completed.

“The Emergency Roads Rehabilitation Programme 2 (ERRP 2) continues to register tangible milestones, as evidenced by the observable road rehabilitation activity on the ground. Highlights of the remarkable progress made to date include several major projects which have been completed and opened to traffic,” said Minister Mutsvangwa

Some of the major projects done so far include rehabilitation and resealing of Masiyephambili Drive in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, and the road is ready for commissioning, rehabilitation and resurfacing of the Seke Road dual carriageway in Harare Metropolitan Province, construction of Nyamataka Bridge and a high level dual carriageway structure in Burma Valley, Manicaland Province.

Glendale-Chiweshe Road in Mashonaland Central Province has also been resealed under the programme.

The recently commissioned Kopa-Jopa Road in Chimanimani, Manicaland Province by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on 10 November, 2021 is also among the completed projects.

A good number of other major projects are nearing completion across the length and breadth of the country.

ERRP2 was officially launched by President Mnangagwa in April 2021 after Cabinet noted the bad state of roads in the country caused by heavy rains received during the last rain season. MDC-Alliance-led councils failed to maintain the roads under their jurisdiction and Government had to intervene.