Government Revives District Road Depots in Decentralisation Push

Source: 263chat.com

The Zimbabwean government is embarking on a significant shift in how the country's roads are maintained, moving to decentralise operations by establishing and reviving district-level depots. Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona outlined the policy in Parliament, revealing that maintenance units consisting of personnel from the Department of Roads have already been set up and are being expanded across all districts. This initiative directly responds to concerns, such as those raised by Mberengwa East MP Tasara Hungwe, about equipping local districts with the necessary machinery and resources for road upkeep.

Minister Mhona stated that previously disbanded district depots are now being revived as part of a drive to ensure comprehensive nationwide coverage, benefiting both rural and urban areas. The core expectation is that by bringing maintenance services physically closer to communities, the programme will reduce the delays that have long plagued infrastructure repairs and improve response times to damaged roads. This comes against a backdrop of deteriorating road networks, particularly in remote areas where centralised systems have historically been under-resourced.

To operationalise this decentralisation, authorities are prioritising the procurement of equipment and the mobilisation of resources, working in tandem with local authorities and the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA). The model will not be purely public, as private companies are slated to be involved in the programme. Furthermore, trained engineers will be deployed at the district level, with Minister Mhona noting that each engineer will receive their own budget allocation, ensuring a degree of financial autonomy and responsibility at the local level.

The success of the plan, according to the minister, will hinge on cooperation between public institutions and private players. "We need to work together for everything to go well," Mhona emphasised, framing the decentralisation as a collaborative national effort. This infrastructure drive occurs within a context of broader governmental restructuring, including the recent splitting of the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development into two separate entities and several key appointments made by President Emmerson Mnangagwa with immediate effect.

Related topics: infrastructure, road maintenance, decentralisation, government policy, parliament, transport ministry, district development, ZINARA, public works

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