IN preparation for the upcoming 44th Ordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Zimbabwe is upgrading roads in and around Harare. The summit, scheduled for August 17, will bring together heads of state and government from the 16-member regional bloc.
Harare will also host over 150 companies from the SADC region during the SADC Industrialisation Week at the Harare International Conference Centre from July 28 to August 2. This significant event underscores the importance of infrastructure readiness.
The SADC comprises Angola, Botswana, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Recently, the construction of the main road leading to the new Chinese-built parliament building, the summit’s venue, was completed. Landscaping efforts are now underway to enhance the surroundings.
Harare residents have expressed their approval of the road improvements. ‘It’s a welcome development. At least we will now spend less time on the roads with smooth traffic,’ said Wish Gahadza, a local resident.
Another resident, Tachiveyi Mukonorwi, highlighted the broader economic benefits. ‘The rehabilitation of highways will stimulate economic development. The good thing is that we are mobilizing domestic resources to build our infrastructure.’
Additional roads leading to the new parliament building are either complete or under reconstruction. Located on Mount Hampden on the outskirts of Harare, the six-storey parliament building complex was officially handed over to Zimbabwe in October 2023.
Efforts are also being made to rehabilitate roads connecting the new parliament building with Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport. Additionally, the government is upgrading the country’s road network, including the Harare-Chirundu highway, which links Harare with neighbouring Zambia.
These infrastructure enhancements are part of Zimbabwe’s broader strategy to improve connectivity and economic development in the region.
