Govt Dumps Austrian Company Engages Chinese Firm For Dualisation Of Harare-Beitbridge And Harare-Chirundu Highways

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joram Gumbo told The Herald that Government is engaging a new contractor from China, Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Group Limited (AFECC), for the dualisation of the Harare-Beitbridge and Harare-Chirundu highways after it withdrew the tender awarded to an Austrian company, Geiger International.

He said Government cancelled the Geiger tender after the company failed to commence construction. Gumbo said AFECC came second during the initial tendering process. Said Gumbo:

Government cancelled the agreement between Geiger International after two years of waiting and there was no proof of funding or any activity that was tangible on the dualisation between Beitbridge-Harare-Chirundu Road. After the cancellation, Cabinet in its own wisdom looked at the urgency of that road project and decided that we consider the second bidder for that project. The second bidder is a company called Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Group Limited, AFECC, a Chinese company.

AFECC constructed the Zimbabwe National Defence College and Longcheng Plaza in Harare, and the Golden Peacock Hotel in Mutare and intends to put up a hotel and conference centre in Victoria Falls.

More: Herald