Government has embarked on a sweeping overhaul of its road maintenance system, establishing state-owned asphalt plants to replace costly private procurement and accelerate the rehabilitation of the country’s crumbling highways.
An asphalt plant is an industrial facility used to produce asphalt concrete, a mixture of aggregates (sand, gravel, crushed stone) and bitumen (a sticky, black petroleum product). Asphalt produced at these plants is primarily used for road construction and maintenance, as well as in pavements, parking lots, and airport runways.
Transport permanent secretary Joy Makumbe said the government’s decision marks a decisive shift toward self-reliance in road repair and infrastructure management, a sector long crippled by delays, corruption, and inflated tender prices.
“As a Ministry, we have also procured asphalt plants. One has already landed in Harare,” Makumbe told NewsDay.
“We are going to be putting it up in Harare so that we also increase the efficiency. Instead of us doing a tender to buy asphalt, we are going to be doing our own asphalt.”
The Harare asphalt plant, which is already being installed, will serve as the pilot facility before the rollout of additional units across the country.
Keep Reading
- Byo armed robber in court
- Woman jailed 12 years for indecent assault
- Magistrate jailed 3 years for abuse of office
- Zim’s poor batting hands India series
A second plant is due to arrive in Bulawayo within weeks, Makumbe said, signalling the start of a decentralised maintenance system intended to empower provincial road units.
“We have our maintenance units using that asphalt to make sure that they maintain our roads,” she said. “The second asphalt plant should be coming in maybe in a month or so. It will be here in Bulawayo.”
Zimbabwe’s road network—vital for trade, agriculture, and industry—has suffered extensive damage from years of neglect, erratic funding, and torrential rains.
The government declared most major highways a state of disaster in 2021, prompting the launch of the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP). But progress has been hampered by high material costs and dependence on private suppliers.
By producing asphalt locally, the Ministry hopes to eliminate procurement bottlenecks, lower maintenance expenses, and ensure rapid response to road damage.
“We also have plans to procure more so that in each province we have asphalt plants,” Makumbe added. “That way, our work will become efficient and we cut down on reaction time for maintenance.”
Economists say the move could save millions in foreign currency while creating a reliable domestic supply chain for road materials.
However, they caution that consistent funding, skilled personnel, and strong governance will determine whether the initiative can deliver sustained improvements.
The plan underscores a broader push by the government to rebuild key infrastructure without relying excessively on private contractors or foreign imports.