Cracks, Dangerous Gap Appear On Bridge Just Two Months After Grand Opening

The newly opened Mucheke Bridge is showing worrying signs of failure, with visible cracks, broken edges and a widening gap on its approach, just two months after its grand commissioning.

Photographs taken last week reveal a longitudinal crack on the bridge’s entrance side, from the roundabout — a structural detail suggesting the ground supporting the approach road is settling and shifting.

The damage includes a clear separation between the road surface and the bridge deck, raising urgent safety questions for the thousands of motorists who use the key crossing daily.

There are fears the structure was rushed to completion, despite warnings it had failed critical compaction tests earlier this year.

According to TellZim News, Masvingo Deputy Provincial Roads Engineer Shadreck Kativhu conceded during a media tour in January 2026 that some tests had not passed as required.

“The other issue is that some tests did not pass as required and we have redone. Once there is a snag, then we have to redo the work and corrections, then proceed to the next,” Kativhu said at the time.

The compaction test failure was a serious red flag. It indicated that the embankments, the layers of soil and other materials built up to support the bridge approach, had not been compacted enough to meet the required standards.

Authorities at the time downplayed the issue, assuring the public that corrective works were underway and that the bridge would be ready by the end of February 2026.

The project, which was initially expected to be completed in late 2025 after construction began in August 2022, was finally opened on 30 April 2026, rushed to meet a state commissioning date after months of delays.

The current damage is visible on the entrance side of the bridge, while the town side appears intact, at least for now.

Contacted for comment, Kativhu told TellZim News he was unaware of the damage and promised to check.

ProStruct Consulting Engineers representative Kudakwashe Dzimati attempted to dismiss the fears, telling TellZim News the gap was not worrisome and that gap filling was yet to be done despite the bridge having been commissioned.

However, when pressed on how the bridge was commissioned before the expansion joint was put in place, Dzimati distanced himself from the issue, saying he was not the right person to comment.

“I cannot comment more on the bridge; I do not comment on behalf of the government.
Engineer Kativhu should comment on that,” said Dzimati.