∙ Zambia’s copper expansion is increasing freight demand north of Zimbabwe
∙ DRC mineral traffic has several competing routes to regional ports
∙ Chirundu’s return will depend on freight capture, border efficiency and surrounding commerce

Harare - Government has secured funding for the US$900 million rehabilitation and upgrading of the Harare to Chirundu Highway and modernisation of the Chirundu Border Post, with construction expected to begin within weeks and completion targeted within 18 months. The project will be implemented through a public private partnership, with the funding model expected to be concluded within eight weeks. Emergency works on damaged sections are expected to proceed while preparations for the full rehabilitation continue.

The investment comes during an expansion of economic activity north of Zimbabwe. Zambia has returned Hakainde Hichilema for a second presidential term after an administration centred on sovereign debt restructuring, macroeconomic reform and renewed mining investment. Zambia now enters another five year political cycle with copper production forming a central part of its growth programme.

The country is targeting copper production of 3 million tonnes annually by 2031. Large investments across operations including Lumwana, Mopani, Konkola and Mingomba are intended to raise mine output, while mining companies are seeking improvements in power supply, exploration and mineral processing to support the expansion.

Additional mine production creates freight requirements throughout the production chain. Machinery, reagents, fuel, spare parts and construction inputs must reach mining operations. Copper leaving the mines requires transport to processing facilities and international ports.

Southern Democratic Republic of Congo contributes another large freight pool. Its copper and cobalt mines are concentrated close to the Zambian Copperbelt and rely on regional transport networks to reach global markets. Freight from the mining region can move west towards Angola, east towards Tanzania or south through Zambia towards Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa.

Capital is being committed across those routes.

The Lobito Corridor is being developed towards the Copperbelt. TAZARA is undergoing a US$1.4 billion rehabilitation aimed at strengthening Zambia’s connection with Dar es Salaam. Private rail operators are adding locomotives and wagons as regional railway systems open to greater commercial participation. Zimbabwe is pursuing its own rail modernisation programme during the same regional investment cycle.

Freight owners consequently have several routing options. Journey time, reliability, border performance, security and total transport cost influence where cargo moves.

Zimbabwe enters this competition with an existing north to south route connecting Chirundu with Harare and Beitbridge. Harare provides onward connections towards South Africa and Mozambique. The rehabilitation of Harare to Beitbridge has already improved much of the southern section of this network. Harare to Chirundu addresses a major weakness on the northern side.

Road conditions have previously reduced the efficiency of that connection. Equity Axis found earlier in 2026 that deterioration along sections of Karoi to Chirundu was slowing commercial vehicles and increasing transport costs. The effect was visible during Zimbabwe’s maize procurement from Zambia. A relatively short distance between the source market and Harare still produced substantial logistics friction through slower truck rotations, higher vehicle costs and delays along the route.

The rehabilitation programme removes part of that constraint. Commercial performance can subsequently be measured through the amount of traffic attracted to the corridor and the speed at which that traffic moves.

Chirundu Border Post provides an early measure. Reduced highway journey times need to carry through customs clearance, inspections, payments and truck staging. Customs agencies, immigration services, clearing agents and supporting systems require sufficient staffing and coordination to process increasing freight volumes throughout the operating day.

Round the clock processing would increase the productive capacity of the corridor by allowing trucks to complete more journeys within a given period. Effective operation depends on continuous availability of the agencies and systems required to clear freight. Border dwell times and daily vehicle throughput provide measurable tests of that capacity.

Traffic moving through Chirundu also creates demand inside Zimbabwe. Trucks consume fuel, tyres, maintenance services, accommodation, insurance and financial services. Freight requires clearing, storage and distribution. Predictable volumes can support investment in warehouses, truck stops, distribution centres and other logistics infrastructure along the route.

Higher transit volumes can therefore feed several domestic industries as freight moves across the country. The level of local participation in those services determines how much commercial activity remains within Zimbabwe.

Trade between Zimbabwe and Zambia provides another source of traffic. Harare and Lusaka are relatively close capitals connected directly through Chirundu. Food, agricultural inputs, manufactured goods, fuel, construction materials and consumer products already move between the two economies.

Improved journey reliability changes the economics of distributing those products. Zimbabwean manufacturers can serve Zambian customers with shorter delivery cycles. Zambian producers can reach Zimbabwean markets more efficiently. Retailers can replenish inventories faster. Agricultural traders can respond to shortages and surpluses across either market with lower transport disruption.

Greater bilateral commerce can also improve the balance of traffic moving in both directions. Mining activity generates large flows of specialised inputs towards the Copperbelt and mineral cargo away from it. Consumer, agricultural and manufactured trade adds a broader range of cargo across the same transport network.

Rail capacity becomes increasingly relevant as mineral production rises. Bulk commodities require transport systems capable of moving large volumes over long distances at sustainable unit costs. Zimbabwe’s rail rehabilitation programme therefore intersects with the highway investment.

Road and rail can accommodate different sections of the freight market. Rail provides capacity for bulk minerals and other heavy cargo. Road transport provides flexibility for manufactured products, perishables, higher value goods and time sensitive consignments. Connections through Harare allow cargo to move between northern markets and routes towards Beitbridge and Mozambique.

Zimbabwe’s northern corridor is being rehabilitated while Zambia’s mining industry is expanding and competing regional corridors are receiving new capital. Hichilema’s re-election provides continuity to Zambia’s existing mining and investment policies, although the election result is being challenged by the opposition. The underlying copper expansion programme continues to generate infrastructure and freight requirements irrespective of that political process.

The US$900 million highway programme can be tested against observable outcomes as implementation progresses. Journey times can be measured against current conditions. Chirundu dwell times and daily truck throughput can establish whether border capacity has improved. Transit freight volumes can show whether transporters are allocating more cargo to Zimbabwe. Bilateral trade can establish whether improved connectivity is deepening commerce between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Toll collections will provide another measure of utilisation. Private investment in warehousing, vehicle services, distribution facilities and freight businesses along the corridor will show whether traffic is generating economic activity outside the road itself.

The regional freight market will continue developing at the same time. Zambia is seeking substantially higher copper production. DRC mines are generating growing mineral volumes. Lobito and TAZARA are receiving capital to compete for that cargo. Southern ports remain available through Mozambique and South Africa.

Zimbabwe now has capital committed to the northern section of its own route into that freight system. The commercial outcome will emerge through traffic volumes, transit times, border performance and the amount of supporting economic activity established along the corridor.

The highway provides the infrastructure but freight capture will determine the return. - Equity Axis News