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Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the provincial government structures, that some areas were difficult to access during the constitutional referendum held in February.
DDF director for water supplies and maintenance Mr Edwin Toriro said in an interview on Thursday during a tour to assess some of the road maintenance projects being undertaken in Mashonaland West that they were a critical player in the country’s electoral process.
“This is a national programme that is happening everywhere across the country,” he said.
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“We are on the ground to ensure that the electoral process envisaged this year goes on smoothly.
“We are working on the roads linking polling stations as identified by Zec and other stakeholders so that they are accessible.”
Mr Toriro said repair and maintenance of the roads would ensure that mobile voter registration, voter education and the actual polling would be smooth.
He noted that in some instances results for elections were delayed because some areas such as Mola in Kariba district were inaccessible by road.
Ferries, which take longer to cross the Kariba Dam, had to be used to transport results to the command centres.
The roads are also important in the transportation of grain to the GMB and in ensuring that people have access to health and educational facilities.
Mr Toriro said despite limited funding, efforts were being made to use available resources such as human labour and local materials to ensure roads were usable.
Funds for daily operations were being directed to ensuring the roads were usable.
The fund has already undertaken road maintenance to the road linking Zvimba and Makonde districts in Mashonaland West.
The road stretches from Masiyarwa area of Zvimba through Guzha, Chivhere and Zumbara areas covering 100km and would be repaired at an estimated cost of US$18 000.
Maintenance work includes towed and motorised grading, re-gravelling and refilling.
Online Reporter