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Nkayi, Tsholotsho roads construction still a pipe dream in the past 36 years
20 Mar 2016 at 10:02hrs | Views
THE construction or regrading of the Nkayi and Tsholotsho Roads to usable network have remained a pipe dream since independence in 1980, a senator complained last Thursday.
Speaking in parliament, senator Agnes Sibanda asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development Jorum Gumbo as to when the government will rehabilitate the roads which are regarded as the worst in Matabeleland North.
Nkayi has two constituencies one under Zanu PF MP Sithembiso Nyoni and the other under MDC-T MP Abednicho Bhebhe. While Tsholotsho has also two constituencies , South and North both under Zanu PF MPs Jonathan Moyo and Zenzo Sibanda.
"My question is directed to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development. Minister, I would like to ask about the two or three roads that link Bulawayo, the Nkayi and Tsholotsho roads, when are they going to be completed or when are you going to start working on them after 36 years?" Sibanda asked.
Gumbo in his response said the Nkayi-Tsholotsho road is a priority one for Matabeleland North province. He said it is on the list for those roads that government must attend to this year.
"We are doing all we can to organise and receive the necessary funds which we have not received, the funds allocated to us during the budget in December, 2015 and January this year. So I can assure you that some work is going to be done on that road," Gumbo said.
"It is a pity that because of the heavy down pour of rains that have come across the country, a lot of roads need attention, whether they are the roads that have already been budgeted for or those which had not been budget for. As I speak to you, the staff in my Ministry including myself, are going around the provinces to see what we can do and which roads we can attend to."
He said they were aware that during the course of this year and even early next year, there will be a lot of movement along the roads because of the drought which rocked the nation and there will be distributing a lot of food.
"As you are aware, the President (Robert Mugabe) declared this year as a disaster. It means that we shall be moving a lot of grain to all parts of the country," Gumbo said.
"The Nkayi-Tsholotsho road is a very important one, we have been talking about it and we are talking to the provincial engineer in that area. I was supposed to be going there this weekend to visit that same road that you are talking about but I will be doing that after Easter holidays because now I am going to Matabeleland South to try and see the state of the roads across the country."
He said the question was very important and funds permitting, they should be able to work on it and complete it this year.
Speaking in parliament, senator Agnes Sibanda asked the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development Jorum Gumbo as to when the government will rehabilitate the roads which are regarded as the worst in Matabeleland North.
Nkayi has two constituencies one under Zanu PF MP Sithembiso Nyoni and the other under MDC-T MP Abednicho Bhebhe. While Tsholotsho has also two constituencies , South and North both under Zanu PF MPs Jonathan Moyo and Zenzo Sibanda.
"My question is directed to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development. Minister, I would like to ask about the two or three roads that link Bulawayo, the Nkayi and Tsholotsho roads, when are they going to be completed or when are you going to start working on them after 36 years?" Sibanda asked.
Gumbo in his response said the Nkayi-Tsholotsho road is a priority one for Matabeleland North province. He said it is on the list for those roads that government must attend to this year.
"We are doing all we can to organise and receive the necessary funds which we have not received, the funds allocated to us during the budget in December, 2015 and January this year. So I can assure you that some work is going to be done on that road," Gumbo said.
"It is a pity that because of the heavy down pour of rains that have come across the country, a lot of roads need attention, whether they are the roads that have already been budgeted for or those which had not been budget for. As I speak to you, the staff in my Ministry including myself, are going around the provinces to see what we can do and which roads we can attend to."
He said they were aware that during the course of this year and even early next year, there will be a lot of movement along the roads because of the drought which rocked the nation and there will be distributing a lot of food.
"As you are aware, the President (Robert Mugabe) declared this year as a disaster. It means that we shall be moving a lot of grain to all parts of the country," Gumbo said.
"The Nkayi-Tsholotsho road is a very important one, we have been talking about it and we are talking to the provincial engineer in that area. I was supposed to be going there this weekend to visit that same road that you are talking about but I will be doing that after Easter holidays because now I am going to Matabeleland South to try and see the state of the roads across the country."
He said the question was very important and funds permitting, they should be able to work on it and complete it this year.
Source - Byo24News
