Plumtree–Bulawayo–Harare–Mutare Highway Explained

The Plumtree-Bulawayo-Harare-Mutare Highway is a cross country international standard highway in Zimbabwe. It connects Mutare with Plumtree via Harare and Bulawayo. It is formed by two routes, namely the R5 Road (Mutare - Harare) and the R2 Road (Harare - Plumtree).

It is the most convenient route for transit motorists travelling between the Machipanda Border Post with Mozambique and the Plumtree Border Post with Botswana.

Background

The highway has been attended to meet international standards and the rehabilitation project undertaken by Infralink, a joint venture between ZINARA (Zimbabwe National Roads Administration) and Group Five International of South Africa includes the R2 (Harare-Bulawayo Road & the Bulawayo-Plumtree Road combined) and the R5 (Harare-Mutare Highway) at a cost of US$206 million loanprovided by the Development Bank of Southern Africa was complete by May 2015.

Zinara had 70 percent and Group Five International 30 percent shareholding in the Infralink Joint Venture rehabilitating the road and constructing Toll Plazas.^[1]

However, by November 2016 some sections of the road were being worked again. The hands-on contractor had not done a thorough job.^{[2] [3]}

Overally the road standard is satisfactory though.

R2 Highway

Source: [Map 9.2 Road Transport Network of Zimbabwe.]^[4]

This one is the merger of the A5 and the A7 forming a single road connecting Harare with Gaborone the capital of Botswana through Plumtree Border Post.

R5 Highway

Source: [Map 9.2 Road Transport Network of Zimbabwe.]^[5]

This is the A3 in international standards, connecting Harare to Maputo the capital of Mozambique through Mutare's Machipanda Border Post (Forbes Border Post).

See also

• R2
• R5
• A5
• A7

Notes and References

1. Prosper Ndlovu. 10 April 2015 Plumtree-Mutare Highway commissioning next month The Chronicle|Business|Retrieved 23 March 2016
2. Zvamaida Murwira. 26 November 2015 decries, slates substandard work|Speaking during a question and answer session in the National Assembly, Deputy Minister Madanha said Government had since ordered the firm to re-do various sections of the highway at its own expense. He said Government policy stipulated that the contractor would have to foot the costs to address defects identified on a project. He was responding to a question from Mutasa South MP Cde Irene Zindi (Zanu-PF) on what Government policy was on mediocre work given that the Plumtree-Mutare Road was being patched up barely a few months after it had been completed. demo.prowebzim.com |The Herald zw|Retrieved 23 20ê6
3. Sunday News Reporter | 29 November 2015[||Nonetheless, the Government managed to source resources for the rehabilitation of number of the country’s majorroads, and it is disturbing to hear that some shoddy work was done on the Plumtree-Mutare highway, after Government sunk in awhooping $206 million.Parliament heard recently thatsome areas of the road were being re-done, and that is a sign that all is not well in the construction sector.]Sunday News zw.|Opinion & Analysis|Retrieved 23 March 2016
4. Chapter 9 Chapter 9: Road Transport Services and Infrastructure - African African Development Bank|Documents|Retrieved 24 2016
5. Xhapter 9 Chapter 9: Road Transport Services and Infrastructure - African African Development Bank|Documents|Retrieved 24 2016