The government has been urged to upgrade the Charara-Kanyanya road, popularly known as Gachegache road, to provide a reliable alternative transport link between Kariba rural and Kariba urban following the recent ferry disaster.
The gravel road is the shortest land route connecting the two areas without using Lake Kariba and serves communities including Musambakaruma, Mola, Gachegache, Mbileja and Siakobvu.
The road has assumed greater importance following the capsizing of the Mbuya Nehanda ferry, which was a key mode of transport between communities around the lake.
Residents said rehabilitation of the road would provide a safer and more reliable route for transporting people, fish, agricultural produce and other goods to Kariba urban.
“It is a road that we use to transport fish and sell in Kariba urban. People will now have an option of using the road rather than going through the lake,” said one resident.
Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister, Marian Chombo, said the government was prioritising the road as part of efforts to address transport challenges facing Kariba communities.
“We have this contentious road which links urban Kariba to rural Kariba, which used to be covered by the boat that recently capsized. So we are here to try and find a way we can address the transport problems here in the shortest time, and this road needs some work to be done,” she said.
Mashonaland West deputy provincial roads engineer, Engineer Lovemore Munguri, said the route offered a significant reduction in travelling distance compared to using the Karoi route.
- ‘Binga not fully marketed’
- Increased poaching in Kariba threatens fish farming
- Kariba fishing tourney breaks with tradition
- Feature: Villagers brace for another displacement. This time, It’s for coal
Keep Reading
“The road has a total of 313 kilometres, compared to 427 kilometres going through Karoi. It cuts the distance by more than 120 kilometres. It is quite an important road to the community of Kariba at large,” he said.
The immediate works will include regravelling and surfacing sections of the road to improve its condition and accessibility.
Meanwhile, the government says it has secured funding for the rehabilitation of the Harare-Chirundu highway and Chirundu border post.
Transport and Infrastructural Development minister, Felix Mhona, said the project would be completed within 18 months once construction begins.
The Harare-Chirundu highway is a major regional trade corridor connecting Zimbabwe with Zambia, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The government has previously said it is pursuing different funding models to rehabilitate the highway and improve the efficiency of the Chirundu border crossing.
