Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube came under intense scrutiny in Parliament this week as lawmakers demanded answers over a surprise US$26 million extra cost added to the Trabablas Interchange project.
During a spirited question-and-answer session, legislators challenged the minister to explain how the cost overrun came about after Parliament had already approved an initial budget of US$88 million for the high-profile infrastructure project.
“Can you substantiate to the House how this supplementary US$26 million would just come about when the budget had already been sorted?” demanded Dangamvura-Chikanga legislator Prosper Mutseyami. “How do you account for that?”
In response, Minister Ncube explained that the additional amount was used primarily for unforeseen expenses, including the relocation of families living in the path of construction.
“Cost overruns are never planned upfront,” Ncube said. “They occur during the implementation of the project. We had to relocate some households, and that cost was quite onerous. That caused the budget to go beyond what was initially budgeted.”
The finance minister further clarified that the original US$88 million was a blended funding model, comprising a loan from a consortium of private contractors and a US$26 million deposit drawn from Zimbabwe’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) Special Drawing Rights (SDRs). However, MPs noted inconsistencies in the explanation—at one point, the minister had referred to the US$26 million as a deposit, only to later describe it as a cost overrun.
The Member of Parliament for Emakhandeni Luveve, Descent Bajila pressed for clarity on whether the US$26 million was part of the original US$88 million, or an additional cost entirely.
“It is in addition,” Ncube said. “But it was a requirement for accessing that US$88 million facility. We think that it was a good arrangement, because we’ve been able to complete a world-class piece of infrastructure.”
Lawmakers, however, were not satisfied with the shifting justifications, with Mutseyami pointing out that Parliament had only approved the original loan in October 2021 without reference to the extra US$26 million.
“Where did you get the authority to pay that additional US$26 million outside of what Parliament approved?” he asked.
In response, Ncube invoked ministerial discretion, saying he was empowered to manage project variations without necessarily returning to Parliament for approval.
“The Minister of Finance has those powers already,” he said. “That’s how it is done. Parliament has already extended that authority to me.”
While the government has lauded the Trabablas Interchange as a flagship urban transport project, completed despite economic challenges, critics argue that poor planning and lack of transparency around funding mechanisms continue to undermine public trust.
