The deep gullies and widening potholes scarring the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road have evolved from a transport inconvenience into a national embarrassment.
What we are witnessing is not an accident of nature, but a prolonged failure of governance. The decay did not happen overnight. It has unfolded over years of misgovernance and ruin, missed warnings and misplaced priorities. Last-minute attempts now underway to patch up the damage only expose how long authorities looked the other way.
This 440-kilometre artery, linking Bulawayo to Victoria Falls, lies at the heart of one of Zimbabwe’s most strategic economic corridors. Instead, it has morphed into a hazardous, punishing stretch that undermines tourism, trade and public safety.
Ironically, vast natural resources, from coal and timber to wildlife and, more recently, gas — continue to be extracted along this route and transported to markets.
Yet the very road that carries this wealth has been left to collapse, delivering little benefit to the communities and economy it is meant to serve.
The cost of this neglect is mounting. Motorists are forced to take longer, more expensive alternative routes, while some tourists are now detouring through Botswana via Kazungula, adding nearly 200 kilometres to their journeys. For a country seeking to grow tourism, this is self-inflicted damage.
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Victoria Falls is not just another destination, but Zimbabwe’s flagship tourism asset and a major source of foreign currency. A destination that demands endurance rather than enjoyment risks losing its appeal.
Fewer visitors mean declining revenues for hotels, tour operators and the broader economy.
More troubling is the human toll. Accidents — many of them fatal — have become increasingly common, often caused by potholes, narrow lanes and general disrepair. Infrastructure neglect is no longer just an economic issue, but a public safety crisis.
Government cannot continue to rely on promises. While rehabilitation efforts are underway, progress remains painfully slow. Public frustration is growing, and rightly so. Service delivery is not optional, but the core duty of any administration.
Authorities, including the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration, must prioritise the full rehabilitation of this highway. Temporary patchwork is no longer sufficient. What is required is a durable, well-funded maintenance strategy.
Heavy trucks, which accelerate road damage, must be more tightly regulated. At the same time, reviving the National Railways of Zimbabwe is critical to shifting bulk cargo off the roads.
Ultimately, the state of this highway reflects how seriously Zimbabwe values its economic lifelines. If Victoria Falls is truly a national treasure, then the route leading to it must reflect that status.
The time for urgency has long passed. What is required now is decisive action.