BY KING JAY:

Huh, no mhani! Yassus!!! A video came through from one of my chynas of the A8 Highway, the @CityofBulawayo  – Victoria Falls road (part of the R9 Route), and the state of it is shameful. The 440 km stretch now looks like it was bombed from the air. Potholes everywhere, broken-down vehicles and trucks abandoned every few kilometres, and long sections that are simply dangerous. This road was built decades ago when traffic volumes were far lower, so resurfacing it back to its old single-carriageway design is shortsighted for the 21st century. What’s needed now is proper reconstruction , at least a dual carriageway with centre concrete barriers, proper highway lighting and wider lanes to handle the increased traffic. And on another note, the number of haulage trucks aka magonyeti on this route is far from ideal.

 

That’s why I was cautiously chuffed to hear that the National Railways of Zimbabwe

@NRZ263  is on the government radar for a major revamp. All bulk cargo, coal included , must move off the highway and onto the railways. In fact, there needs to be a clear law banning heavy haulage trucks from this crucial tourist link. Only then will any investment on the A8 last more than a few rainy seasons. Yes, I know there are 1 or 2 km stretches being worked on here and there, but let’s be honest , that’s not enough. Let’s do things properly.
Let’s redesign and rebuild this road to modern standards, not patch it up in bits and pieces.
@MinistryofTID , may we please have a progress report or a link to one? Huh, izvi zvino makisa manje. @MhonaFelix

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