'Death trap' highway sparks drumbeat of outrage

RESIDENTS of Mashonaland West Province have intensified calls for urgent government intervention to rehabilitate the deteriorating Harare–Chirundu Highway, which they say has become a "death trap" due to worsening road conditions and a surge in fatal accidents.

The strategic 356km corridor, which links Zimbabwe to Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the wider Southern African Development Community region, has significantly deteriorated after years of neglect.

An online petition launched this week attracted close to 100 signatures within hours, drawing support from motorists, business leaders and residents demanding immediate restoration of the key transport route.

Petitioners said the highway's condition has severely worsened, citing deep potholes, rutting, poor road markings and narrow shoulders as major contributors to accidents, vehicle damage and delays in freight movement.

"The highway remains in a hazardous state," the petition reads.

"Severe rutting, deep potholes, lack of functional road markings and narrow shoulders have led to a catastrophic rise in fatal accidents, vehicle damage and costly transit delays for cargo."

The Harare–Chirundu corridor carries an estimated 70 percent of Zimbabwe's northbound freight traffic, making it one of the country's most critical economic arteries. However, transport operators say the poor state of the road has led to delays of up to two days and increased vehicle maintenance costs, particularly for heavy haulage trucks.

Police statistics reflect a broader national road safety crisis, with 15 125 accidents recorded in the first quarter of the year, up from 12 808 during the same period last year. At least 593 fatalities were recorded between January and March, representing a 21 percent increase.

Along the Harare–Chirundu route, accidents have become frequent, particularly near Karoi and Nyamakate, where motorists contend with dangerous road geometry, potholes and narrow lanes.

In April, six people died in a head-on collision involving a haulage truck and a Nissan NV150 near the 214km peg while overtaking on a narrow section of the road. In another incident in Banket, a pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run accident while walking to work, leaving behind three children.

Transport Minister Felix Mhona acknowledged the deteriorating state of the highway, attributing the damage partly to heavy rains that worsened existing structural weaknesses.

"The recent rains left large sections of the highway riddled with potholes, posing risks to motorists and slowing the movement of goods," he said.

"It is not only the highway but the border post."

Government has since allocated ZiG90 million for emergency repairs aimed at restoring basic road usability while longer-term reconstruction plans are developed. Contractors are currently carrying out patchwork repairs in sections such as Makuti, although officials have warned that these interventions are temporary.

Ministry spokesperson Judith Nhau said the ongoing works were only stopgap measures ahead of full rehabilitation.

Transport operators, however, say the patch repairs often fail within weeks under heavy freight traffic.

Looking ahead, government has announced a US$900 million rehabilitation and dualisation project under a public-private partnership expected to begin in September. The project will include widening of key sections, upgrading toll infrastructure and modernising the Chirundu Border Post to improve regional trade efficiency.

In addition, a US$21 million Japanese grant is currently funding rehabilitation of a 6,5km section between Makuti and Chirundu.

Despite these interventions, petitioners insist that urgent and sustained action is needed to prevent further loss of life and economic disruption.

"The time for urgency has long passed," the petition states.

"What is required now is decisive action."