From Capital to Corridor: Harare–Kanyemba Highway to Unlock Regional Trade

Zimbabwe fast-tracks the Harare–Kanyemba Highway (image source)

Zimbabwe is racing ahead with one of its most ambitious infrastructure projects: the Harare–Kanyemba Highway, a trade corridor set to transform the nation into a regional logistics hub.

Led by local consortium Exodus & Company, the dualisation project has already opened sections to traffic, promising to halve travel time between the capital and the northern border post.

“This road positions Zimbabwe as a vital transport hub,” said Deputy Transport Minister Joshua Sacco.

The highway is a cornerstone of the Second Republic’s infrastructure agenda and aligns with Vision 2030, Zimbabwe’s roadmap to achieving upper-middle-income status.

“This route is more than a road. It’s a lifeline for trade, agriculture, and mining in northern Zimbabwe,” Transport Minister Felix Mhona told reporters.

The project will link Harare to Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, easing the export of agricultural products from regions such as Mbire and Muzarabani and creating smoother transit for regional trade.

Local farmers are already seeing the potential. Rudo Nyamadzawo, a Mazowe-based farmer, said:

“We’ve waited years for this. Now we can get our produce to market faster and safer.”

The highway also holds strategic energy significance, as oil and gas deposits have been discovered near Kanyemba, offering a potential future route for resource exports.

Permanent Secretary Timothy Maregere described the project as a “catalyst for regional transformation,” linking Zimbabwe’s transport upgrades with continental trade ambitions under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

“This road is not just about mobility—it’s about unlocking trade, agriculture, and mining potential.”