HARARE – The long-awaited Mbudzi Interchange in Harare has been completed, with final touches underway ahead of its official commissioning by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Touted as a flagship infrastructure development under the Second Republic, the project aims to ease chronic congestion at the intersection of the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway.
Constructed by Fossils Contracting, the multi-tier interchange features 15 bridges and employed over 1,800 workers during its development. Engineers say the project is 95% complete, with all 15 bridges reportedly 99.8% done.
“We are working 24 hours a day to ensure we wrap up this project before the end of the month,” said Engineer Kudakwashe Maguta of Fossils Contracting.
Residents and government officials have hailed the completion of the project as a milestone in modernising the country’s road infrastructure. Once a notorious traffic bottleneck, the old Mbudzi roundabout frequently paralysed movement, particularly for travellers along the busy north-south corridor linking Harare to Beitbridge and beyond.
“We are impressed with the work done here. This place used to be a traffic nightmare. With this interchange now in place, congestion will be a thing of the past,” said project resident engineer Emmanuel Dube.
However, despite the celebratory tone, the project has not been without controversy. Critics have raised concerns over the US$88 million price tag, calling it excessive given Zimbabwe’s economic challenges. Civil society groups and some infrastructure analysts argue that the costs appear inflated, particularly when benchmarked against similar projects in the region.
“There is no transparency on how the US$88 million figure was arrived at, and many suspect massive overpricing,” said one Harare-based infrastructure economist, who requested anonymity.
“We must ensure that public funds are used responsibly and that such large-scale projects are subjected to open, competitive bidding processes.”
Questions have also been raised about the quality of workmanship, with some road users and experts pointing out uneven surfacing, poor drainage in parts of the site, and early signs of structural wear.
A commuter who frequents the area noted: “While the interchange has improved traffic flow, some sections already show cracks and potholes near access lanes. It raises concern about long-term durability, especially during the rainy season.”
The government, however, insists that the project is a testament to its commitment to infrastructure development and local contractor empowerment. The interchange was built entirely by local firms, a point President Mnangagwa is expected to highlight during the commissioning ceremony as part of his “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” mantra — a nation is built by its own citizens.
As motorists begin to benefit from the reduced congestion, attention now turns to the long-term maintenance and transparency in future projects of this scale. Whether the Mbudzi Interchange becomes a model of successful infrastructure development or a cautionary tale of inflated costs remains to be seen.
