Pembi bridge construction workers go for 4 months without pay

The construction of the US$1,8 million Pembi bridge, which was purportedly officiated by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Dr Joram Gumbo in 2016, is moving at a very  slow pace and workers have gone for four months without pay since they were formerly employed.

The bridge which was used as a campaigning gimmick to push the reigning Mazowe North Legislator advocate Martin Dinha into office in 2016 after the sudden death of Edgar Chidavanze has not shown any sign of seriousness so far.

In 2016 only construction road signs were erected, 2017 August they hired locals who were employed and to date they have not received a single cent from the Ministry.

The legislator Dinha who is also Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs Minister said he is not happy with the pace at which the bridge is being constructed.

"The pace at which the bridge is moving, is not pleasing at all, l passed through when l went to Guruve attending a horrific kombi crash last week," he said.

He further said he was not aware that workers are not yet paid hence he promised to visit his constituency tomorrow and hear their grievances.

"I am not aware that that these people are yet to get their monthly remunerations, perhaps that is the reason why the pace is slow these people are demotivated, l am going there tomorrow with my delegation so that we solve their grievances."

However, Dr Gumbo told ZBC News in July 2016 that US$ 1, 8 million was already at the disposal and it would take 8 months for the completion of the bridge, but alas it has taken more than a year to put a visible structure.

The narrow bridge has been on the drawing board since 1977 and every legislator who comes in Mazowe North dupes people with the same modus operand of bridge construction.

Serious accidents have also been recorded on the narrow bridge with the recent one being of a Mhofu kombi that plunged into the river sand heaped by the constructors a fortnight ago.