Construction of Mbudzi Interchange Begins

Senior Reporter

Harare residents and motorists have expressed excitement at the proposed US$85 million interchanges set to be constructed to replace the Mbudzi round-about in Southern Harare.

This major intersection is currently impassable due to growing traffic and suffers regular traffic jams. The proposed interchange on Simon Marozorodze is a welcome and overdue development as it is the gateway into the City for high traffic volumes coming from the Masvingo/Beitbridge highway as well as traffic from Western suburbs such as Glen Norah and Budiriro.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona who signed the financing deal with Fossil Holdings said that the tender for the construction of the interchange had been awarded to TEFOMA consortium consisting of Tensor Construction, Fossil Contracting and Masimba Holdings.

“As part of the loan facility, the financier will offer technical and construction facilities, hence a contractor, TEFOMA joint venture, will be appointed the engineering procurement and construction contractor for the project.

“As part of financial inclusion, other local contractors will be subcontracted to perform certain works. The loan facility is indicative US$85 million,” said Minister Mhona.

The Minister explained that the impending completion of the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway gave priority to the construction of the Mbudzi interchange in order to clear the current and foreseeable traffic congestion at the Mbudzi round-about.

On the other hand, the construction of the traffic interchange, which will be the first of its kind in the country, has been hailed by motorists and residents with some indicating that the development will go a long way in restoring Harare’s faded Sunshine City status.

One motorist, Isaac Chirwa (45) from Glen Norah who uses the Mbudzi round-about daily to travel into the CBD said that the upgrading of the intersection is long overdue.

“Construction of the interchange is good news as it will uplift the City. We hope that the work will be done with speed because the round-about is now clearly overwhelmed with traffic, a situation that is causing serious jams,” said Chirwa.

The construction of the Mbudzi interchange is expected to be completed in 2023. In recent months, the Government has gone into overdrive in attempting to rehabilitate the City’s roads and infrastructure as part of its National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and in line with Vision 2030.