Chronicle Editor
Nobukhosi Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
COMMUNITIES in Nkayi District, Matabeleland North province, are basking in the glory of improved access to social amenities following the consistent disbursement of devolution funds that has seen the development of key infrastructure such as classrooms, clinics, roads and bridges among other facilities.
The funds have been dedicated to improving roads and schools with communities testifying that the implementation of devolution by the Second Republic has been one of the greatest achievements for rural development.
In an interview, Nkayi RDC chief executive officer Mr Silibele Mpofu said they were working with other development agencies to ensure that road infrastructure was improved.
“Nkayi RDC is working with other Government agencies such as the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (Rida) and the Ministry of Transport to rehabilitate the road network in the district with part of the funds from Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) and the Central Government,” said Mr Mpofu.
He said most roads were in bad shape and not trafficable especially during the rainy season making life difficult for the communities.
“The roads are in a bad state due to erosion, gully formation, lack of maintenance and change of settlement patterns over time. You will find that Nkayi Centre has the only stretch of road that is surfaced approximately 3,9 km,” he said.
Mr Mpofu said they were grateful to the Government for working tirelessly to rehabilitate roads in Nkayi as well as other infrastructure developments that have improved the lives of people.
“The Government has availed funds through its agencies and that has enabled the procurement of equipment that will be used to rehabilitate the road network. Plans are also in place to rehabilitate the Nkayi-Bulawayo Road and hopefully all will go well,” he said.
He, however, pleaded with the Government to increase the development funds allocation so that they were able to do more developmental work.
“We plead with the Government to assist us by granting us more funds that will capacitate us to do all earthworks on our own. Of a network of 260km pending recalculation, 3,9km of the Nkayi Centre Road is surfaced and is in fair condition even though it needs minimal work such as pothole patching and drain lining to pre-curve and extend its levers. The outstanding 256,1 km roads are split into gravel and earth roads and these need some rehabilitation as well.”
Mr Mpofu said they were planning to work on rehabilitating more roads this year.
“We plan to rehabilitate a total of 150km of the entire network through road gravelling, vegetation control, drain lining and drain opening, pothole patching, gravel, premix and road signs installation. President Mnangagwa has said no one and no place should be left behind and as Nkayi, we will definitely ensure that we give practical meaning to his statement,” he said.
The devolution funds have not only developed roads but have been deployed to spruce up education infrastructure to ensure learners in the district acquire quality education. Mr Mpofu said the district has 25 secondary schools, 85 primary schools and 11 satellite schools which consist of seven secondary schools and four primary schools. He said through the devolution funds they were now building seven schools to minimise the distances travelled by learners.
“We are building seven schools. Four are primary schools while three are secondary. These are St Mbaga Primary School, Great Hope Primary School, Mbondweni Primary School, Mabhalabhala Primary School, Jabulisa Secondary School, Mdengelele Secondary School and Maphasaphasa Secondary School,” he said.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter