Harare – Government is advancing structural reforms that will culminate in the formation of a National Road Authority, a move aimed at eliminating systemic fragmentation and addressing legacy challenges in project implementation, Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Hon. Advocate Felix Mhona (MP) has announced.

In a keynote address delivered on his behalf at the 10th Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) Annual General Meeting held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Harare yesterday, Minister Mhona said the proposed authority would serve as “a definitive panacea to project delays and legacy non-acquittal challenges.”

“This will reshape road-sector governance and require ZINARA to proactively assess potential mandate implications while ensuring sustainable road infrastructure development,” the Minister said.

The announcement comes as ZINARA celebrated its third consecutive clean external audit opinion, a milestone the Minister described as demonstrating “continuing strengthening internal controls and accountability.”

The clean audit achievement builds on the Second Republic’s broader track record of infrastructure transformation under President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s leadership.

Since 2018, the Government has overseen the rehabilitation of major highways including the Harare-Beitbridge corridor, now nearing completion, alongside the expansion of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and the construction of the new Parliament Building in Mount Hampden.

These projects, funded through innovative financing mechanisms and fiscal discipline, have positioned Zimbabwe as a regional leader in infrastructure development, in line with Vision 2030’s aspiration for an upper middle-income economy.

Minister Mhona revealed that Government, working with ZINARA and the Ministry of Finance, has secured a US$400 million CBZ Infrastructure bond supported by ring-fenced road user funds.

The facility will rehabilitate strategic corridors including Harare-Kanyemba, Harare-Nyamapanda, Bulawayo-Victoria Falls, Harare-Chirundu and Kwekwe-Nkayi-Lupane.

“However, more funding is needed to improve urban mobility and respond to pressure emerging from growth in mining and agriculture. We therefore continue courting partners to invest in our road asset for a sustainable network into the future,” he said.

The Minister commended ZINARA for reducing congestion at tollgates through lane widening and expansion of e-tag services, and announced that the organisation will soon launch an e-wallet platform and a single license disc to simplify licensing and reduce multiple transactions.

“I am equally pleased that the cumbersome manual acquittal problem will soon be a thing of the past. The automated acquittal system will minimise human error, guarantee real-time tracking of funds and ensure every dollar disbursed is fully accounted for,” Minister Mhona said.

Addressing the qualification raised by the Auditor-General concerning the 2.5 per cent administration fee, Minister Mhona pledged the Ministry’s support in engaging relevant institutions to achieve “a clear and sustainable resolution consistent with the applicable legal and regulatory framework.”

“Our objective is to achieve a lasting solution that strengthens accountability and enables the organisation to focus on funding road maintenance and rehabilitation,” he said.

The Minister called for the embedding of Environmental, Social and Governance principles in road infrastructure development, warning that erratic weather patterns, including an impending super El Niño in 2027, demand climate-proofed drainage systems and resilient surfacing materials in every capital project.

“Sustainable development requires us to embrace Environmental, Social and Governance principles. Climate resilience has become a critical policy imperative,” he said.

The 10th ZINARA AGM was attended by Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development Chairperson Hon. T. Karikoga, Public Accounts Committee Chairperson, Caston Matewu, Secretary for Transport and Infrastructural Development Eng. Joy Makumbe, ZINARA Board Chairperson Dr. George Manyaya, and ZINARA CEO Nkosinathi Ncube, among other senior Government officials and stakeholders.

Minister Mhona reiterated Government’s commitment to supporting ZINARA in fulfilling its mandate.

“The task before us is clear: to strengthen accountability, improve customer experience, support Road Authorities and ensure that road user funds deliver visible and lasting results. Let us work together to build a road network that supports economic growth and contributes to a better quality of life for all Zimbabweans,” he said.