State House signs contracts and ZINARA bounces back

President Mnangagwa plans to lead the performance contracts signing and awards event today at the State House in Harare. Cabinet ministers and top officials will make promises linked to Vision 2030 goals. These agreements push leaders to create jobs, build wealth, grow the economy, and cut poverty rates. Officials have already completed 6,000 projects across 14 different areas since these contracts started in 2021.

Many government workers have scored big wins in their jobs lately. The Zimbabwe National Road Administration stands out as a success story because of President Mnangagwa's State Enterprises Reform plan. ZINARA has become much more open about money matters and serves people better than before. Dr. George Manyaya became board chairman in December 2021 and changed ZINARA from a troubled agency into a model organization.

ZINARA gives 88 percent of its money to local councils and road groups. For the first time, it passed a clean audit from the Auditor-General. Dr. Manyaya credits the turnaround to new leadership under President Mnangagwa's reform program. The agency fixed problems from past corruption, dealt with a bad forensic audit, and worked through more than 70 suggestions from Parliament's Public Accounts Committee.

Transport Minister Felix Mhona set key goals: better corporate behavior, less corruption, shorter lines at tollgates, stronger road authority support, and digital systems. ZINARA focused on four areas they call ICEA - Integrity, Capacitation, Engagement, and Automation. The agency collected ZW$6.6 billion last year, equal to US$346.3 million. They earned their first clean audit for 2023 financial records and fixed 67 percent of problems noted by the Auditor General.

ZINARA paid down their Development Bank of South Africa loan from US$165 million in December 2020 to just US$42 million by December 2024. They also cut the interest rate from 8.16 percent to 5 percent. These steps helped restore Zimbabwe's good name with international money lenders. The agency held long-overdue Annual General Meetings and addressed 66 out of 71 governance issues found in the Grant Thornton audit.

They added computer systems for purchasing, installed equipment that caught theft at tollgates and started moving tollgates because cities grew larger. Drivers can use e-tags and special lanes to pay tolls faster. Many tollgates can handle vehicle licensing tasks. Road authorities received 90 percent of their budget money in 2024, plus 1.9 million liters of fuel through a special program.

Dr. Manyaya explained that the fuel program helped road groups use their equipment for street repairs, improving roads overall. ZINARA has big plans ahead, with a ZW$11.6 billion budget proposed for 2025. They want to keep helping road authorities with technical advice and equipment funds as they build on recent successes.
 

Attachments

  • State House signs contracts and ZINARA bounces back.webp
    State House signs contracts and ZINARA bounces back.webp
    9 KB · Views: 22

Trending content

Latest posts

Top