The cost of constructing the controversial Trabablas Traffic Interchange in Harare has ballooned to a staggering US$114 million, triggering outrage in Parliament and intensifying scrutiny over government spending, transparency, and possible corruption. The revelation, made by Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube during a heated parliamentary question-and-answer session, confirmed that the project had exceeded its initial budget by US$26 million.
Initially pegged at US$88 million,Trabablas Interchange was touted as a key infrastructure development under Zimbabwe’s Second Republic. However, Ncube’s disclosure of the US$114 million final price tag has fuelled accusations of fiscal mismanagement. Responding to a question from Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Member of Parliament Discent Collins Bajila, Ncube acknowledged that the extra funds were covered in part by Zimbabwe’s Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The SDRs, valued at approximately US$958 million, were allocated to Zimbabwe in 2021 as part of a global IMF initiative to help member states recover from the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ncube admitted that US$26 million from this fund was used as a deposit for the project, while the remainder of the funding came through a vendor loan facility with Fossil Mines, a firm owned by businessman Obey Chimuka. Chimuka is known to be closely linked to controversial businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei, whose name has often surfaced in high-profile procurement deals.
Minister Ncube insisted that the Trabablas Interchange project was a “world-class” achievement and that the use of SDRs for infrastructure development aligned with government priorities. He argued that the additional costs were largely due to unforeseen expenses, particularly in compensating property owners whose homes or businesses had to be demolished to make way for the interchange.
“The US$88 million covered the core infrastructure — roads, bridges, drainage, signage, and electricals,” Ncube explained. “The US$26 million was for relocation and compensation, which only became clear as implementation progressed. These are normal cost adjustments in large-scale projects.
Trabablas Interchange Scandal Deepens as Project Costs Surge to US$114 Million
However, many MPs were not convinced. Dangamvura-Chikanga legislator Prosper Mutseyami questioned why such a significant cost element had not been anticipated and included in the original budget. “Relocation and compensation are not new concepts in road construction. How did this escape the planning phase?” he asked.
Chinhoyi MP Leslie Mhangwa, an engineer by profession, was more direct in his criticism. He described the US$26 million overrun as a sign of poor planning or possible manipulation of costs. “Escalations of this nature point either to negligence or deliberate mismanagement. There is no way you miss a quarter of the project budget unless there are other motives,” Mhangwa said.
The controversy has ignited broader concerns about the use of SDR funds, which many had hoped would be directed toward critical sectors like health, education, and social welfare. Instead, critics say, these funds are being channeled into opaque infrastructure deals involving politically exposed entities. The involvement of Fossil Mines and its connections to Tagwirei has only deepened public skepticism.
Civil society groups and opposition MPs are now calling for a full forensic audit of the Trabablas Interchange project. They argue that the vendor financing model — in which a private contractor fronts the money and is later reimbursed by the government — opens the door to inflated costs, kickbacks, and lack of accountability.
“This is public money, including international funds intended for national recovery,” said one MP. “If it’s being diverted into shady deals or to benefit a few connected individuals, then we need answers — and we need them now.”
The interchange, once marketed as a symbol of the government’s commitment to modernize Zimbabwe’s road infrastructure, has now become a lightning rod for criticism of state procurement and financial governance.
Transparency advocates are urging Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to investigate the transaction in depth, including the terms of the vendor loan, the tendering process, and the exact allocation of the SDRs.
As public trust in government spending continues to erode, the Trabablas Interchange could become a test case for Zimbabwe’s willingness — or lack thereof — to ensure fiscal discipline and accountability in high-stakes national projects.
Meanwhile, with more questions than answers surrounding the Trabablas Interchange project’s true costs, the scandal shows no sign of abating.
Source- Bulawayo24
