MATABELELAND North Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister, Richard Moyo, says he recently sought President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s attention to address the critical state of the Bulawayo-Tsholotsho road.
The deterioration of the road has left a district increasingly isolated.
Its degradation has severely impacted Tsholotsho, cutting it off from development despite its proximity to Bulawayo.
The 120-kilometre journey to the city now takes over four hours, forcing many travellers to use the longer, alternative Solusi Road, which is also damaged.
In an interview with Southern Eye, Moyo said he had raised the issue directly with Mnangagwa.
“Our biggest problem is the Bulawayo-Tsholotsho road,” he said.
“I have been talking to His Excellency, the President, ED Mnangagwa, and the minister of Transport about that road.
“They promised us that they will also give us about two or three contractors to do that road.”
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“Those people are being cut off from other districts because of that road.
“They are now using Solusi Road, which is far and that road is also damaged and needs attention as well.”
While Moyo did not provide a specific timeline for the rehabilitation, he indicated that further discussions are underway to move the project forward.
The road’s poor condition reflects a broader national crisis, with an estimated 70% of Zimbabwe’s 97,000-kilometre road network reported to be in a state of disrepair.
The situation is particularly urgent with the rainy season approaching.
Beyond infrastructure, Moyo highlighted government plans to establish vocational training and educational institutions in Tsholotsho to address the district’s developmental lag and stem the tide of economic migration.
“The President is planning a lot of things for the young ones,” Moyo said.
“In Tsholotsho, there is a plan to build vocational training centres, and a nursing school which is coming up.
“We are revamping that nursing school so that those who want to go for nursing can be enrolled in Tsholotsho.”
However, such promises of tertiary institutions have been made in Tsholotsho for decades with little visible progress, leaving residents skeptical.
The plight of Tsholotsho is not unique in Matabeleland North, with other districts such as Nkayi, Kezi, Binga, and Umguza similarly marginalised in terms of infrastructure development.
