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Victor Maphosa recently in Mhondoro-Mubaira
THE bad and almost impassable state of the road, which connects Mhondoro-Mubaira and Chegutu, has become a cause for concern for people of Mhondoro, with the business community, particularly in Watyoka and Mubaira, challenging responsible authorities to rehabilitate it.
The road, if in good state, can be instrumental in attracting positive business investments in Mubaira and Watyoka, as it is also the shortest route from Watyoka and surrounding areas to Chegutu.
However, due to its sorry state, many people have found it hard to efficiently conduct business, particularly those who rely on wholesalers in Harare for orders.
There has been no bridge in one of the streams near Watyoka, which makes it impossible to pass during the rainy season.
Mhondoro-Mubaira Member of Parliament Freddy Kapuya assured his constituency that the road would be upgraded soon.
“I know there are calls for the upgrade of this road,” he said. “What happened is we received funds from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, but the funds were not enough, that is why work has stopped.
“However, we recently received more funds and soon work will resume. We want the road to be tarred and not just re-gravelled and soon it will be done.”
Cde Kapuya acknowledged the community’s concerns and assured them that in no time, the road would be usable.
The Herald, which visited the area recently to check on the road works’ progress, established that the road becomes impassable during the rainy season when the river on which the unfinished bridge sits is in flood.
One of the villagers, Mr Taimon Zuze who uses the road to and from work almost on a daily basis, said there will be chaos once the river is flooded.
“You see, there was no bridge here for many years,” he said. “We were relieved when Government started regravelling and constructing the road and bridge for us, however, the construction has since stopped.
“Efforts to put a new bridge are moving at snail’s pace and we are wondering when it will be completed. Imagine, I use this road on a daily basis to work in Harare. So, if we experience heavy rains, we can be stuck here for a week or so because we cannot cross the flooded river.”
Mrs Tendai Chapangure, who is a vendor at Watyoka business centre also lamented the state of the road, saying it hindered business operations for many.
“This is the only road, which connects us with Harare,” she said. “I am a vendor here and I rely on Mbare market and wholesale tuckshops in downtown Harare. But as it is, some of the produce, even drinks will be damaged in transit due to the poor state of our road.
“Besides that, who would want to do business with our community, which has such a bad road?
“We need the Government to do something for us and for our children who would be using the same road going to school.”
Private transport operators are charging commuters high fares for short distances in the area, citing the bad state of the road which they blame for frequent and expensive repairs to their vehicles.
Online Reporter