Another Trabablas in Mutare- The Zimbabwean government has embarked on another large-scale — and controversial — road infrastructure project: a US$99 million interchange and bypass highway in Mutare. The project, awarded to Leengate Private Limited, involves the construction of two interchanges and a 31.2-kilometre Christmas Pass Bypass Road. While officials have lauded the development as a long-overdue solution to traffic chaos and safety risks on the steep Christmas Pass, critics are already raising red flags, drawing comparisons to the infamous Mbudzi “Trabablas” Interchange debacle.
Dubbed by some as yet another potential “sand heap” project, the Mutare bypass is already under intense scrutiny. Civil society organisations, opposition leaders, and concerned residents fear it may follow in the footsteps of previous state-funded infrastructure ventures that promised transformation but delivered little beyond piles of gravel and rusting equipment.
Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Felix Mhona confirmed the commencement of the project during a recent site inspection. Meanwhile, Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Advocate Misheck Mugadza described the development as “a promise fulfilled by our President,” celebrating it as a key milestone for regional connectivity and public safety.
Despite the official fanfare, neither Mhona nor Mugadza addressed crucial questions — including how Leengate was awarded the multi-million-dollar contract, what oversight mechanisms are in place to ensure value for money, or how the US$99 million price tag was determined. These omissions have fuelled growing demands for transparency, with critics calling for an immediate release of project documentation and a forensic audit of the contracting process.
The planned Christmas Pass Bypass is strategically positioned to divert heavy traffic from the narrow, winding slopes of Christmas Pass — a notorious accident hotspot for haulage trucks entering or exiting Mutare. The road is also expected to serve as a vital trade corridor connecting Zimbabwe to Mozambique’s Port of Beira and extending into Zambia, Malawi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The project will also include the long-awaited rehabilitation of the Murahwa (Sakubva) Market Bridge, which has remained in disrepair for years. However, residents have voiced concern over the lack of visible planning or technical detail. Leengate Private Limited has yet to release construction drawings, a detailed budget breakdown, or a projected completion timeline. In the absence of such transparency, many fear the bridge — like the bypass itself — may become another monument to Zimbabwe’s culture of infrastructure promises without delivery.
“This is déjà vu all over again,” said one Mutare resident. “We’ve seen this movie before. They start with bulldozers and sand heaps, then everything stops. Millions disappear and no one is held accountable.”
Zimbabwe Launches Another Controversial US$99 Million Interchange Project in Mutare Amid Public Skepticism
The government’s controversial handling of the Mbudzi Interchange in Harare still looms large in the national memory. Initially hailed as a flagship project, Mbudzi soon became synonymous with dysfunction: delayed works, collapsed bridge sections, massive cost escalations, and allegations of corruption. Its legacy continues to haunt both the Ministry of Transport and the taxpayer, casting a long shadow over any similar initiatives.
Opposition leaders are warning that the Mutare project is poised to follow the same path unless strict oversight is introduced from the outset. “This is not about opposing development,” said Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) MP Trevor Saruwaka. “We are demanding accountability for public funds. Why is the government throwing US$99 million at another interchange while schools, clinics, and hospitals are collapsing across the country?”
Calls are mounting for the Auditor General and Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to investigate the procurement process, examine the credentials and past performance of Leengate Private Limited, and monitor the financial and technical implementation of the project.
Independent analysts have also questioned the urgency and prioritisation of interchange projects when basic services are in crisis. Economist and infrastructure expert Dr. Tawanda Mhizha noted that while bypass roads and transport interchanges can enhance trade and logistics, they must be grounded in sound planning, fiscal discipline, and public accountability.
“We’ve seen far too many cases where infrastructure is used as a political showpiece rather than a genuine development tool,” Mhizha said. “Without clear feasibility studies, cost-benefit analyses, or transparency in contracting, these projects risk becoming white elephants — expensive, underutilised, and unsustainable.”
Meanwhile, civil society groups in Manicaland have begun mobilising for greater civic oversight of the project. Petitions are circulating demanding public access to all project contracts, environmental assessments, and financing agreements. There are also calls for local communities to be included in oversight committees to ensure the bypass and bridge developments meet safety and quality standards.
For now, the US$99 million Mutare Interchange project sits at a crossroads. On paper, it promises to resolve long-standing logistical and safety challenges in the eastern corridor. In reality, it will need more than bulldozers and ribbon-cutting ceremonies to convince a wary public that it won’t become just another sand heap.
Source- ZimEye
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