Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba in KARIBA
Plans to reconstruct Chirara (Chalala)-Kanyati Road (Gachegache Road), which links Kariba Urban and Kariba Rural, are now underway as the Government is also in the process of availing another boat to ferry people using the same route along Lake Kariba, offering a land-based alternative to the boat service.
Most people in Kariba and its environs have been using Lake Kariba to travel to and from Kariba Urban and Rural, which is about 70km, as they deemed the route to be shorter than using road transport, going through the Karoi-Binga Road, which is 427km.
Now, with plans to reconstruct the Chilala or Charara-Kanyati Road (Gachegache Road), from Kariba Urban to Kariba Rural, the distance will be 313km by road.
On Monday, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Advocate Felix Mhona and Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Marian Chombo and senior Government officials toured the road and met engineers.
The visit by the ministers came after President Mnangagwa had directed Minister Felix Mhona to mobilise resources for the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Karoi-Binga Road to improve access to Chalala, Mola, Siakobvu and surrounding areas that rely heavily on the lake for transport.
In an interview after the tour, Minister Mhona said the visit follows guidance from President Mnangagwa to find lasting solutions for community mobility between Kariba’s urban and rural areas.
“We are seeing the road that we have been briefed about, and the idea is to see how we can move with speed so that we promote accessibility and ensure the road is trafficable,” said the minister.
He emphasised that the project speaks to the bigger picture of regional connectivity championed by President Mnangagwa, linking Zimbabwe to neighbouring countries through the Beira Corridor and the North-South Corridor, strategically positioning the nation to enhance trade and tourism with Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi and the DRC.
Minister Mhona said the rehabilitation of the road will pave the way for the reintroduction of public transport and offer communities a reliable alternative to the boat service, ensuring that no one and no place is left behind.
“His Excellency Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa is saying, let us now find solutions to serve the communities and we have got Kariba Urban and Kariba Rural and the disconnect now is to see how then do we have transport to manage issues of mobility from urban to rural and vice versa,” he said.
“I have tasked my engineers to come up with a solution and we are seeing this road that we have been briefed about which is about 105 kilometres to connect to Siakobvu. The idea is to see how can we move with speed so that we promote accessibility. We have discussed and we will continue in scope but the idea of connectivity is about the bigger picture.”
Minister Mhona said road public transport will be reintroduced once the roads have been rehabilitated.
“And above all, we are also thinking of how we can then substitute the boat that was shortening the distance we had, close to over 200 kilometres if we are going via water, and this is very important at the end of the day to make sure that no one and no place is left behind. “
The minister said they had also engaged with operators and private partners in Kariba to come up with a solution so that another boat will begin plying the same route.
In a separate interview, Minister Marian Chombo also said, “We still are appealing for the immediate release of a boat, even if it’s a smaller boat, because you know it’s only 80km and it links the residents of Rural or Urban Kariba to their livelihood, which is fishing.
“You know there are a lot of islands along the lake where they would go and buy or do their fishing. So although we are going to be able to provide them with this network, it’s really not going to resolve a lot of problems.”
Minister Chombo said they stand ready to support any initiative that the Government or the ministry comes up with to make sure that people access better services.
