Trabablas Interchange
Trabablas Interchange is the a traffic grade-separated junction located at the intersection of Simon Mazorodze Road, Chitungwiza Road, and High Glen Road in Harare. It was official opened on 30 May 2025 by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. It replaced the Mbudzi roundabout and was initially called the Mbudzi Interchange before being renamed at the opening event on 30 May 2025.
The interchange cost an estimated US $88 million to build.
Timeline
Transport Minister Felix Mhona announced in October 2021 that engineers were “on the ground” and construction would start in earnest by December that year, and the works would take one year.[1]
Construction however started in September 2022. At the time, Mhona said the construction would take 1 year and six months.
Trabablas Building Cost
A South African engineering consultancy firm, DNMZ, put a US$65 million budget for the construction of an interchange.
The government however engaged Tefoma, a consortium of three firms - Tensor Systems, Fossil Contracting and Masimba Construction - for the project without going to tender. Tefoma charged $88 million.[1]
The government reportedly said the higher cost was to cover detour roads, compensation for displaced property owners, professional fees and other costs.
Asked in parliament to explain the high cost of the interchange, Mhona also cited sanctions on Zimbabwe as a contributing factor:
When you look at Zimbabwe, we are quite a unique nation. Firstly, we are under illegal sanctions and whatever we tap into is not measured favourably in terms of cost implication. I can cite a good example of a bag of cement, what you get in here and vis-a-vis other countries might be different.[1]
Naming
The interchange was named after one of Emmerson Mnangagwa's war time nicknames.
Initially called Mbudzi Interchange, the new name was announced in December 2024 by Information Minister, Jenfan Muswere said who said the name was proposed by Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi as the acting chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on Place Names. Muswere said then:
“Cabinet wishes to advise that upon completion, the Mbudzi Interchange will be named ‘Trabablas Interchange’ in recognition of the visionary leadership of His Excellency the President Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa,”[2]
