The poor state of the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls road is increasingly undermining road travel to Zimbabwe’s tourism capital, with National Council of Chiefs president Chief Mtshane Khumalo saying some tourists are now opting to fly instead.
Chief Mtshane said the deteriorating road was particularly concerning because it passes through areas with attractions that could benefit communities along the route.
“Another challenge is the roads in the rural areas. They are in bad condition; some are virtually impassable, including the road to Victoria Falls. We hope it will not take too long and that the work can be accelerated,” he said.
“You will notice that the Victoria Falls road is the route used by our tourists. But now, some of our tourists are travelling by aeroplane.”
He said road travel offered tourists the chance to stop at attractions between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls - opportunities lost when visitors travel by air.
“When a driver travels from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls, there are many beautiful places along the way where they could stop and visit by road,” he said.
His concerns come as the government continues to struggle to keep rehabilitation of the 440-kilometre highway on schedule.
Work began in July 2025 and is being undertaken by eight contractors.
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By July 30, 73.4km had been surfaced and opened to traffic, leaving about 367km still under construction.
Progress has been affected by funding challenges.
Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Felix Mhona told Parliament last week that the government had secured funds to clear outstanding payments to contractors and that work was expected to resume in the coming weeks.
Mhona was responding after Bindura South legislator Remigius Matangira raised concerns over the highway’s state, saying he had personally taken 15 hours to travel from Bulawayo to Hwange.
The minister acknowledged the highway’s importance to tourism and said the government wanted to ensure contractors were paid so work could resume.
The road is a major transport corridor linking Bulawayo with Hwange and Victoria Falls, and forms part of the wider regional route connecting Zimbabwe with Zambia, Namibia and Botswana.
In Matabeleland North, the highway is more than a road to Victoria Falls.
It is the main route through communities and tourism areas along the corridor, including access towards Hwange National Park.
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority directs visitors travelling from Bulawayo to Hwange National Park along the highway.
The prolonged rehabilitation has also involved detours, with the government previously warning motorists to observe temporary traffic arrangements.
