A 2019 NewsDay report suggested the bridge would cost US$20 million, while a 2025 Herald report put the figure at US$75 million.
Speaking at a national budget public hearing at Chitsanga Hall on Friday, Clemence Chiduwa, chair of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget and Finance, said the government had responded to calls from the people of Chiredzi to prioritise the bridge, hence the ZiG30 million allocation. Said Chiduwa:
“The proposal was made by one of you, Jonathan Shonhiwa, that Chilonga Bridge should be allocated money for its construction and as such government has allocated ZIG 30 million towards the construction of the bridge.
“I am sure the Engineering team is already deployed to assess the bridge, and the money will go towards initial design works.”
Chiduwa also said there are plans to allocate another ZiG54 million in 2027 and ZiG75 million in 2028 for the Chilonga Bridge.
The bridge was washed away back in 2000 during Cyclone Eline, and efforts to rebuild it have been dragging on for the past 26 years with little progress.
Over the years, lives have been lost as people tried to cross the flooded Chilonga River, with some dying while attempting the crossing in makeshift canoes.