Rehabilitation on Gwanda–Manama road begins

By Jonah B. Moyo

Rehabilitation of a 10-kilometre stretch of the Gwanda–Manama Road in the Mawane area has begun, bringing relief to villagers and motorists who have endured years of hardship using the route.

Grading of a detour is already underway, marking the first phase of the project, which is expected to improve travel between Gwanda Town and Manama after prolonged delays, particularly along the badly damaged Mawane section.

Gwanda Rural District Council Chairperson, Councillor Mphathiswa Ncube of Ward 18, said the contractor and equipment are already on site and work has started with the construction of the detour before full rehabilitation of the main road.

“For some time, people in Gwanda have been crying over the state of this road, but we have finally got a solution. The contractor has started operating in the area so that this long-standing problem can be fixed and people can travel more easily and reach their destinations on time,” he said.

He said the contractor had been awarded a 10-kilometre section in Mawane, where the rehabilitation works will be carried out.

Cllr Ncube said the detour would branch off in the Mawane area and rejoin the main road at Ntepe Shopping Centre, allowing traffic to continue moving while work on the main road progresses.

“As they prepare to rehabilitate the main road, they have started with the detour heading towards Ntepe Shops, passing by Chikomo Shop to Ntepe, so that they can work without disturbing motorists travelling to town,” he said.

For years, villagers and motorists have complained about the deteriorating state of the road and the damage caused by heavy trucks. Petitions were submitted and a series of meetings were held involving Gwanda Lithium Zimbabwe and stakeholders in Gwanda District in search of a lasting solution.

The rehabilitation, being carried out through the Ministry of Roads, is expected to restore the convenience of travel between Gwanda Town and Manama, where motorists say a journey that once took less than an hour had become much longer because of the condition of the Mawane section.

Cllr Ncube urged members of the public to cooperate during the rehabilitation period and avoid tampering with road barricades or using unfinished sections before they are officially opened.

“We have seen situations where people start using roads before they are officially opened. They remove stones and other barricades to make way for their vehicles, and that damages the road. Let us cooperate and wait for the go-ahead from the responsible authorities,” he said.

Motorist Jabulani Nkala said the Mawane section had become one of the most difficult parts of the journey.

“I use this road almost three times a week, and whenever I have to use it I get stressed just thinking about the Mawane section.

“I have nicknamed it ‘One Hour Peg’ because it can take up to an hour just to pass through that section. Sometimes I even have to reverse to find a way through,” Nkala said.

He said drivers feared damaging their vehicles because of the large potholes and rough surface.

“We are glad that rehabilitation has started, and we hope the trucks will also have their own route because if they continue using the same road, they may destroy it again,” said Nkala.

A Manama villager, Christina Selome, said the poor state of the road had turned travelling to town into a stressful experience.

“We are pleased that the Mawane section is now being rehabilitated, and we hope this will ease the distress caused by heavy-duty trucks,” she said.

“We are looking forward to travelling the way we used to, when it took less than an hour to get to town. Now it takes hours,”she said.

Selome said the community hopes the works would continue until completion.

“We are happy to see the works in action, and we hope they will not stop before completion because we have suffered for a long time with this poor road network,” she said.

The road is alleged to have suffered extensive damage during increased heavy truck traffic linked to mining operations in the area in 2025.

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