Harare – Matabeleland South Senator, Solani Moyo has issued a strong condemnation of the government’s handling of the national road infrastructure, describing the current state of the country’s highways and rural feeder roads as a threat to national development and social inclusion.

Presenting a motion in the Senate today, which was adjourned on September 9, 2026, Senator Moyo expressed alarm that despite the heavy financial burden placed on motorists through fuel levies, toll fees, and licensing, the road network continues to deteriorate to “unacceptable levels of disrepair.”

The motion, which calls for urgent government intervention, highlights the critical role of the road network—comprising trunk, provincial, district, urban, and rural feeder roads—in linking major economic centers.

Senator Moyo expressed “disturbance” that the crumbling infrastructure has led to a surge in transport costs and vehicle maintenance expenses, causing significant delays in the movement of goods and services.

He noted that the situation is particularly dire for rural communities, which remain isolated from markets, schools, and hospitals due to neglected feeder roads.

“Despite the collection of fuel levies, vehicle licensing fees, toll fees and other road-user charges, the condition of our roads continues to raise serious concerns in terms of planning, prioritisation, and maintenance strategies,” Senator Moyo stated.

The motion has put forward four key demands aimed at reversing the infrastructural decay. Central to the proposal is a call to declare the rehabilitation and maintenance of road infrastructure a “strategic national economic priority.”

Senator Moyo is pushing for strict financial accountability, demanding that all revenues collected from road users be “transparently accounted for and principally dedicated to road maintenance.” This comes amid long-standing public suspicion that road funds are diverted to other government expenditure.

Furthermore, the motion advocates for a shift in how contracts are awarded. It calls for the introduction of performance-based contracts for construction and maintenance to ensure “quality workmanship, value for money, and contractor accountability.”

Finally, the motion urges the government to prioritize roads that serve key economic sectors, specifically listing agricultural production areas, mining districts, tourism destinations, border posts, schools, and health facilities.

The motion tabled by Senator Moyo reflects the grim reality facing Zimbabwean motorists and commuters daily. For over a decade, the country’s road network has been in a state of rapid decline, characterized by massive potholes, crumbling bridges, and faded road markings.

The deterioration is largely attributed to years of economic stagnation, which led to a lack of routine maintenance and the failure to procure adequate bitumen and equipment. While the government introduced tollgates to fund road repairs, critics argue that the revenue generated is often swallowed by corruption or diverted to cover budget deficits rather than being used for infrastructure.

Major highways such as the Harare-Beitbridge and Harare-Bulawayo roads have undergone piecemeal rehabilitation, often funded by development loans, but secondary and rural roads have been largely abandoned.

The result has been a spike in road traffic accidents, inflated prices for goods transported from rural areas to cities, and a logistical nightmare for industries reliant on efficient transport.

As the debate continues in the Senate, the pressure is mounting on the Executive to move beyond rhetoric and address the systematic failure of road maintenance highlighted in Senator Moyo’s motion.