Bulawayo – President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government has been forced into damage control after a photograph of three individuals posing inside a massive pothole went viral on social media.
The Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road is a vital artery, linking the country to the iconic Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world and Zimbabwe’s most prized tourist destination. It also provides access to Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s largest wildlife habitat, making it a major source of revenue for a nation heavily reliant on tourism.
For years, motorists have voiced concerns about the highway’s appalling condition, with countless videos and images circulating online documenting its state of disrepair. The road has become increasingly difficult to navigate, with huge craters posing a significant danger to travellers.
Perhaps seeking to underscore the severity of the situation, three tourists cheekily posed for a photograph while seated inside a giant pothole. The image quickly spread across social media platforms, prompting an embarrassed response from the government.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development denied that the viral image was taken along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway.
“It has come to our attention that a social media post is circulating, showing three people posing in a pothole on a road claimed to be part of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway,” the ministry said. “While we acknowledge that certain sections of the highway are in dire need of rehabilitation, the images in the post do not correspond to any section of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway.”
The statement continued, “The sections requiring urgent attention are currently being addressed through a collaborative effort between the Department of Roads and Bitumen World. Work is already underway, with teams camped in Hwange, Halfway, and Insiza to ensure the road is rehabilitated efficiently.”
Despite the government’s denial, opposition politician Gift Ostallos Siziba posted a video on his social media accounts showing the road’s dire condition, with potholes widely blamed for causing accidents.
Siziba accused authorities of neglecting the road despite its critical role in tourism. “Yesterday, I witnessed this shocking reality firsthand on my way to Victoria Falls. The road leading to one of the world’s most iconic tourist attractions is in a deplorable state of disrepair,” Siziba wrote.
“The number of potholes has reached catastrophic levels, causing trucks to lose their axles and leading to an alarming increase in accidents. This critical route, which should be a showcase for Zimbabwe’s tourism industry, has been grossly neglected by the regime in Harare,” he added.
Last year, the government announced a partnership with Bitumen World to rebuild the heavily damaged Beitbridge-Victoria Falls Highway under a build, operate, and transfer model. Under this agreement, Bitumen World will fund, construct, and manage the road for profit before eventually transferring it to public ownership.
The government’s swift response to the viral image, coupled with Siziba’s on-the-ground account, underscores the growing pressure to address the state of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway. Whether the government’s claims about the image’s location are accurate or not, the incident has served to highlight the urgent need for repairs to this vital artery, which is crucial for both tourism and the overall economy of Zimbabwe.
