MARTIN MULEYA

CHIPINGE TIMES REPORTER

MUTARE –he Airports Company of Zimbabwe (ACZ) is set to conduct a feasibility study for the establishment of an airport in Mutasa South District, some 26km from Mutare.

Should the feasibility study be adopted the airport will replace Grand Reef airstrip near Mutare.

ACZ Chief Executive Officer, Tawanda Gusha told Chipinge Times in a sideline interview during a tour of the proposed site on Monday that they expect the feasibility report to be complete before year end.

He was part of a delegation led by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona, his deputy Joshua Sacco and Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Misheck Mugadza, and Chief Mutasa among other senior Government officials who also toured Forbes Border Post.

“We also think we will make the airport a successful commercial airport in this province. This position at the new site is almost 26km from the city of Mutare using the road that we used today which is really within the expected distances of airports from the city centres,” said Gusha.

Mhona said the initiative is in sync with Vision 2023 that also entails infrastructural development. He also said that aerodromes in Hwange and Binga will also be refurbished. 

He added that all aerodromes across the country, some of which were under the purview of the District Development Fund (DDF) and the military will be resuscitated for civilian use.

Mugadza said Manicaland is a tourism hub and the airport will enable local and international tourists to easily connect Manicaland and other tourism destinations as Victoria Falls.