By Patience Gondo
The rehabilitation of the Harare–Beitbridge Highway has reached over 90 percent completion, with a new 3-kilometre stretch between Rutenga and Runde officially opened this week.
This marks major progress in one of Zimbabwe’s most critical infrastructure projects.
According to a progress update issued on November 12, 2025 by the Zimbabwe Economic Review (ZER ) said a total of 525.5 kilometres of the 582-kilometre highway has now been completed, leaving only 56.5 kilometres to go before the entire route is fully upgraded.
The project, which started in 2019, is being implemented by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development through six local contractors Bitumen World, Fossil Contracting, Masimba Holdings, Exodus & Co, Tensor Systems and Trial Construction.
So far, Bitumen World has completed 122 kilometres, Fossil Contracting 118 kilometres, Masimba Holdings 98 kilometres, Exodus & Co 90.3 kilometres, Tensor Systems 90 kilometres, and Trial Construction 7.2 kilometres.
The Harare–Beitbridge Road forms part of the North–South Corridor, a key regional trade route linking Zimbabwe to South Africa and the rest of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The road carries the bulk of freight, passenger, and tourism traffic between Harare and Beitbridge, the country’s busiest border post.
The completion of the highway will significantly reduce travel time, improve road safety and lower vehicle maintenance costs for transporters and motorists.
The Government has prioritised the project as part of its National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which seeks to modernise infrastructure and promote economic growth through local capacity building.
The use of indigenous contractors has been hailed as a demonstration of local engineering capability and a source of employment for thousands of Zimbabweans.
Since construction began, the project has transformed large sections of the once potholed and dangerous highway into a modern, wider, and safer road.
The new surface has eased congestion and reduced the number of accidents previously common on the route.
Zimbabwe Economic Review said the remaining 56.5 kilometres are expected to be completed in the coming months, with the final works focusing on the southern sections near Beitbridge and the completion of road markings and signage.
The Harare–Beitbridge project is one of several major infrastructure undertakings under the government’s drive to improve trade, tourism and road safety across the country.
The Harare–Beitbridge Highway is Zimbabwe’s most important international corridor, connecting the capital with the Beitbridge Border Post Africa’s busiest inland port of entry.
The route links the country to South Africa, Zambia, and Mozambique, serving as part of the Trans-African Highway Network.
Over the years, the road had deteriorated due to heavy traffic and lack of maintenance, leading to accidents and long travel times.
The ongoing rehabilitation, which began under the Second Republic in 2019, aims to restore the route to international standards and support the country’s vision of becoming an upper middle-income economy by 2030.