Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
RURAL local authorities in Matabeleland North province have embarked on a massive road maintenance programme after receiving funding from the Zimbabwe National Road Authority (Zinara).
In separate interviews, chief executive officers for Binga, Bubi, Hwange, Lupane and Nkayi said they were grateful to have received funding from Zinara to maintain roads that were severely damaged by floods.
“Our allocation from Zinara is $410 000 and we are getting this in batches. About $248 000 of this was allocated towards surfacing the road network in Lukosi while the remainder catered for Dete centre as we put Zinara funds to good use,” said Hwange RDC CEO Mr Phindile Ncube.
He said the local authority had graded roads running for 373 km around the district.
The roads include Cross Chisuma-Deka road which connects Victoria Falls to Hwange and Binga via Jambezi.
Mr Ncube said council is tarring a 2,8km stretch of road in Lukosi and 12 km at Dete centre.
Binga CEO Mr Joshua Muzamba said 67km of road network was graded last month after the district set aside $300 000 for road rehabilitation.
He said Kamombo-Lubimbi, Chuzya-Lusulu and Senga-Chininga roads were worst affected by floods hence they are being prioritised. “We are happy to receive funds from Zinara. Some of our communities haven’t been accessible because of the state of roads and you will notice that we are constructing a bridge on the Chuzya road which we hope to finish before the rainy season,” said Mr Muzamba.
About 2km has been tarred at Binga Centre.
Nkayi RDC chief executive Mr Zimbabwe Ndlovu said the biggest challenge is that most council roads are makeshift pathways which require huge amounts of money to work on.
He said about $420 000 has been used in maintaining roads.
Mr Ndlovu said they were working on roads at Nkayi centre, Guwe-Lupane road, Guwe-Hompani, Zinyangeni-Guwe, Gwelutshena-Kana road as well as access roads to Sikhobokhobo clinic, Vova and Lupane Valley and Sivomo-Sihlengeni.
Mr Patson Mlilo, the CEO for Bubi district said all roads were damaged by the rains. He said they had budgeted about $200 000 and work is underway on Goodwood, Gloag and Old Hunters roads which all connect to Inyathi business centre.
“We expect to finish 100km of road network under phase two of ease of doing business,” said Mr Mlilo.
In Lupane, more than $200 000 was allocated by Zinara which has seen the local authority rehabilitating the Gomoza-Ndimimbili road which was extensively damaged by floods as well as Jotsholo-Mzola and Lubimbi-Siwale roads.
The RDC is also grading road networks at Jotsholo centre. – @ncubeleon
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