The Government says 57.2 kilometres of the 440.4km Bulawayo–Victoria Falls (M4) Highway have been opened to traffic as work continues on one of Zimbabwe’s largest road rehabilitation projects.
The update comes a day after Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona told Parliament that eight contractors had been deployed to rehabilitate the highway, with each contractor responsible for approximately 50 kilometres.
Presenting the 2026 Mid-Term Budget and Economic Review in Parliament on Thursday, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Prof. Mthuli Ncube highlighted infrastructure development as one of Government’s priorities during the first half of the year.
Ncube said Government had allocated ZiG13.4 billion for infrastructure rehabilitation and development in the 2026 Budget, with ZiG11.8 billion already spent during the first six months of the year.
He said the expenditure covered transport, water and sanitation, ICT, health infrastructure, and housing and social amenities.
“Mr Speaker Sir, the approved budget has an appropriation of ZiG13.4 billion for infrastructure rehabilitation and development. In this regard, an amount of ZiG11.8 billion was spent on infrastructure from the fiscus…” Ncube said.
Of that amount, ZiG3.9 billion was directed towards the transport sector, mainly under the Road Development Programme.
Giving an update on major road projects, Ncube said:
“Significant progress was made on completion of the Harare–Masvingo–Beitbridge Road, rehabilitation and widening of the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls Road, with 57.2km out of 440.4km having been opened to traffic.”
He also reported progress on the Harare–Kanyemba Road project, saying 18.3 kilometres of the dualised Harare-Mazowe section had been completed and opened to traffic.
Looking ahead, Ncube said Government was establishing an Infrastructure Development Fund (IDF) to mobilise additional resources for infrastructure projects, including roads, rail, schools, hospitals, energy and irrigation.
He told Parliament that Government had arranged with local financial institutions to mobilise US$400 million towards completing the remaining 33 kilometres of the Harare-Beitbridge Road, as well as the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of the Harare-Chirundu and Bulawayo-Victoria Falls roads, among other priority projects.
According to the minister, US$100 million has already been secured and is awaiting fulfilment of conditions precedent, with loan repayments expected to be ring-fenced from ZINARA collections.
The Bulawayo–Victoria Falls M4 Highway is one of Zimbabwe’s most strategic transport corridors, linking the country’s premier tourism destination with Bulawayo and serving as a major regional trade route connecting Botswana, Zambia and beyond. Construction on the project began in July 2025, with Government targeting completion by December 2026.