$150m needed to rehabilitate roads, bridges in Mat North
THE District Development Fund (DDF) needs about $150 million to rehabilitate 150km of roads and bridges damaged by incessant rains in Matabeleland North.
DDF has a total gravel road network of 2 300km in the province and 150km of it was badly damaged by the rains which also destroyed bridges.
This excludes roads administered by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development and local authorities some of which were also damaged across the province.
DDF is using $10 million road maintenance fund from Zinara to carry out rehabilitation work which has started on the 39km St Mary’s Research Road in Hwange where 15km and 26 small bridges were badly damaged.
A news crew visited Nekabandama Ward 12 in Hwange on Monday and observed workmen reclaiming some bridges while tipper trucks were dumping gravel on some parts of the road for levelling.
Some villagers were also helping to carry stones to repair bridges and clearing bushes along the road.
St Mary’s Research road connects Nekabandama and Luseche to Hwange town via Deka or Lukosi.
Acting DDF Matabeleland North provincial co-ordinator Mr Jacob Ndlovu said all the seven districts namely Binga, Bubi, Hwange, Lupane, Nkayi, Tsholotsho and Umguza were affected.
“We have embarked on a programme to repair roads and bridges that were damaged by the rains. As DDF we have a road network of 2 300km and out of this, a 150km network including small bridges were badly affected. All this has to be repaired because some roads are no longer passable,” said Mr Ndlovu.
He said they are targeting key roads linking districts and those connecting remote communities for access to services.
“We have started the projects using $10 million road maintenance fund we received from Zinara but we need about $150 million to finish all these projects and we hope to get partners.
“Here in Nekabandama we are repairing 15km of the 39km St Mary’s Research Road. Ten small bridges need repair while 16 others need to be protected from further damage. We will also do Mabale Vlei and reshape Chidobe-Matata roads in the district,” said Mr Ndlovu.
He said in Binga DDF will rehabilitate 15km on Kabuba-Jekamana Road and 5km on the Cyunga-Sinamwenda Road.
In Lupane focus will be on 10km of the New Farms Road and 10km on the Dandandanda-Chitete Road.
Gwelutshena-Sebhumane, Zinyangeni-Guwe and Nesigwe-Sembewule as well as Nembe-Sipepa and Nkunzi — in Nkayi Guswini roads will also be rehabilitated and in Tsholotsho districts respectively.
In Bubi, focus will be on Matapa-Nkosikazi, Siganda-Dakamela and Kennilworth roads while Fingo Location, Mathanjeni, Bhekeni-Thokozani-Kayisa and Madlelenyoni roads will be repaired in Umguza.
Hwange District Development Co-ordinator Mr Simon Muleya said repair of roads was a relief for Nekabandama and Luseche communities.
“This will go a long way in helping donors and Social Welfare reach communities with food programmes which had eluded them because of poor roads,” he said.
Nekabandama headman Mr Andrew Shoko and Ward 12 councillor Johannes Chuma said the whole community is grateful to DDF for repairing the road. —chronice.c.zw
