The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) has disbursed more than ZiG2.09 billion (approximately US$83.6 million) to road authorities countrywide for road infrastructure development and maintenance projects.
The disbursements, which represent 22 percent of the approved 2026 roads budget, were revealed in ZINARA’s first quarter funding and disbursement report.
According to the report, implementation of the 2026 road maintenance and rehabilitation programme was initially slowed by prolonged rainfall experienced across most parts of the country, which delayed the mobilisation and commencement of several planned projects.
ZINARA said the disruptions coincided with the continuation of projects funded under Fourth Quarter (Q4) 2025 disbursements, with some road authorities still executing contractual obligations that extended into the current reporting period.
“This early-season disruption has coincided with the continuation of works funded under Fourth Quarter (Q4) 2025 disbursements, with some road authorities still executing contractual obligations that have carried into the current reporting period,” the report said.
“As a result, the start of new projects has followed a phased approach, allowing for both the completion of ongoing works and the gradual introduction of 2026 programmes.”
ZINARA said the continuation of Q4 2025-funded projects reflected a normal transition between financial cycles and demonstrated prudent financial management by road authorities.
“Rather than indicating delays, this carry-over shows prudent financial management, as road authorities prioritise the completion of existing commitments before initiating new drawdowns,” the authority said.
The report noted that uptake of allocated funds was steadily gaining momentum across the country, with several road authorities demonstrating strong project execution capacity supported by approved work plans, procurement readiness and contractor deployment.
According to ZINARA, this has started translating into visible progress in routine road maintenance, periodic rehabilitation and targeted emergency works despite weather-related setbacks experienced earlier in the year.
“Notably, the alignment between disbursement flows and physical project implementation continues to improve, signalling growing adherence to performance-based funding principles by the road authorities,” the report said.
ZINARA said the first quarter disbursement and utilisation trends pointed to a stable and progressively improving road infrastructure financing environment anchored on accountability and sustained project delivery.
“Going forward, ZINARA will continue to closely monitor utilisation patterns and align future disbursements with verified project progress, ensuring maximum value is derived from public investment in the national road network.”
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