Published: 27 November 2017

GOVERNMENT has assured youths in Mashonaland West that they will benefit from employment created through the dualisation of the Beitbridge-Harare-Chirundu Highway.

The Harare-Chirundu Highway, which straddles most of the province, should see many youths benefiting as casuals.

In an interview last week, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Engineer Michael Madanha said although Government had awarded the tender to a foreign company, locals were expected to play a part in other construction-related processes or as casual labourers.

"We expect youths, especially those staying close to the highway, to benefit from the dualisation process as they will be employed as manual labourers," he said.

"As Government, we also managed to award our local construction industry the opportunity to provide the foreign construction company with quarry stones and other locally available materials."

Thousands of youths, said Eng Madanha, stood to benefit from the three-year dualisation process.

"The process is likely to take at least three years and thousands of youths will be benefiting in the entire process," he said.

Youths at Charlie village in Nyamakate, Hurungwe, expressed gratitude for the opportunity and pleaded with Government to oversee the recruitment process to ensure an impartial process.

An expectant youth from the area, Edson Maeresa, said Government should influence recruitment so that youths benefit according to location.

"We hope Government will take part in the job allocation so that we won't see outsiders benefiting at the expense of the locals," Mr Maeresa said.

Hurungwe councillor Mr Jealousy Matesanwa begged Chief Chundu, Mr Abel Mbasera, to oversee the process of recruitment within his jurisdiction.

Youths in Mhangura are also upbeat that they will benefit from the project.

But there are some groups that fear their businesses will be affected by the road project.

For example, bartenders and shopkeepers at Lion Den's Eleven Miles and Mapinga say they might be relocated as their workplaces are in the way of the proposed project.

Eng Madanha said Government was still assessing how those that will be affected will be compensated.

"We are currently assessing the impact and, for now, I cannot give details on how the affected people will be compensated," he said.

The dualisation of the highway is expected to improve the quality of the road, which has so far outlived its lifespan of 20 years by almost 35 years.

The route provides passage from South Africa to countries like Zambia, Tanzania and DRC, and is one of the busiest in the country and region.
- zimpapers

You might also want to read this

• Govt engages Chirundu highway contractor