A site to the east of Mutare, the capital of Manicaland Province in Zimbabwe, has been identified for a new airport accompanied by a study to establish its feasibility.
The airport will drive improvements and facilitate economic development, freight and tourism once in operation, said Tawanda Gusha, chief executive of the Airports Company of Zimbabwe.
“We are going to undertake a feasibility study to quick-start the development of the airport for Mutare,” he said.
“We are expecting that before the end of the year, we will have completed the study and submitted the report as well as a design brief to the relevant ministry.
“This site is almost 26 kilometres from the centre of Mutare.”
Situated 262 kilometres from Harare and 290kms from Mozambique’s Port of Beira, which has earned Mutare the title as Zimbabwe’s “gateway to the sea”, Mutare is the third most populous city in Zimbabwe with over 500 000 people.
It has long been a centre of trade with railway links, pipeline transport and highways, making it a key terminus en route to the Port of Beira.
Forbes Border Post between Zimbabwe and Mozambique is about eight kilometres from Mutare on the Beira Corridor.
