Five Years Later, Binga District remains with poor roads despite presidential visits

Calvin Manika 

Nathan Muzamba (54) has lived in Kamativi almost all his life. Having voted six times, Muzamba laments that the situation continues to deteriorate as big wigs from Binga and Matabeleland have according to him, forgotten their roots. 

Soon after elections elected Members of Parliament (MPs) are accused of abandoning the electorate for their comfort zones in the cities and attending workshops around the country. Villagers in Lusulu said politicians will temporarily change residence in the run to to elections. But with poor roads they can be victims of their failure of development.

“Dust will be all over as politicians remember us for their personal gain. The same roads they are not developing will trap them into deaths. Our roads have been neglected and are dangerous. It takes these politicians to change things. Alas we have more accidents due to poor road network,” said Muzamba.

In 2022 President Mnangagwa visited Binga on two occasions in a row to show his concern in the one of the poorest districts in Zimbabwe. His first visit was a campaign rally during the by-election. Despite the ruling party’s candidate losing in the elections President Mnangagwa returned to thank the ‘Batonga’ people and fulfil the electoral promises his party had made. The visits gave people hope especially on infrastructural development, roads being on top of villagers’ priorities. This year President Mnangagwa was in Binga gain for cultural day celebrations. 

“The challenge is that, the top officials’ flies and cannot see the bad roads. The ministers and other officials who uses the road and supposed to tell him are mum. There is a crisis and everyone want to appear as everything is okay,” said Chrispen Phiri of Kamativi settlement.

The maintenance of roads in Binga district is expected to improve accessibility of people in the surrounding rural areas to primary health care, education, water and sustainable livelihood projects.

People in Binga district say poor road infrastructure is closing them from other districts and potential investors. Binga district is a haven of fish industry and a promising tourism sector as it is rich in culture. 

“But due to the state of our roads, few people have been interested to visit and spend time here. This year we want to make sure politicians commit themselves to development before electing them,” said Gordon Mutale, a Binga resident.

In 2022 eight people died while an unconfirmed number were injured in Binga after a vehicle belonging to the Ministry of Transport’s Department of Roads was involved in an accident along the Binga-Siabuwa road.

The accident happened near Nsungwale and it exposed poor service delivery in the Matabeleland North remote district both on poor roads and lack of a functioning mortuary then.

In 2022 President Mnangagwa launched the US$400 million ERRP2 which is a countrywide initiative meant to improve the country’s road network. The government allocated more than $700 million to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development for rehabilitation of a 3 000km road network under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP) Phase 2 in Matabeleland North province.

Matabeleland North Roads Engineer Ncube said, the Ministry, through the Department of Roads, is working on 27 road projects in the province. The ongoing road projects involve pothole patching, grading, re-gravelling, spot dumping, wash away repairs, culverts construction, reseals and rehabilitation.

Responding to questions, Matabeleland North provincial roads engineer Xolani Ncube said 15 contractors have been contracted to carry out road works in the province.

“The Department of Roads in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development is undertaking 27 projects in the province. The total length of the road network under the roads department in the province is 2 937km. This excludes those administered by local authorities and the District Development Fund (DDF). Work is going on several roads,” said Ncube. 

The expected completion date for all of the projects was 30 November 2021. However, travelling to Binga and around Matabeleland North shows that roads are still impassable and the main highway Bulawayo – Victoria Falls is worsening with little interventions. Last year, Chief Mabhikwa died in a road accident along Bulawayo – Victoria Falls road, exposing the failure of ERRP in the province to repair roads and meet deadlines.

Hwange Central Member of Parliament Daniel Molokela said the major highway has become a death trap and it needs urgent attention.

“For the last two years, I have been personally following up the relevant Cabinet Minister Hon. Mhona. We have also debated the matter in Parliament on several occasions. Last time, l spoke to the Hon. Minister he told me that Bitumen had recently submitted a feasibility report that was now awaiting Cabinet approval before proceeding to a tender process for a new road construction led by a private company investor in a Built to Transfer partnership with the government.,” said Molokela.

Bulawayo-Nkayi, Bulawayo-Tsholotsho Road, Bulawayo-Victoria Falls, Victoria Falls-Kazungula and Cross Dete-Binga roads are key connectors to the province’s economic activities such as tourism, mining and others. The Bulawayo-Nkayi, Cross Dete-Binga and Bulawayo-Tsholotsho roads had become some untraffickable roads in the province.

In March this year, another accident was recorded under Chief Siabuwa area. Five people were reportedly dead. The bus, which was heading towards Kariyangwe overturned and landed on its side killing two people on spot and seriously injuring a number of other people.

The 81km Binga-Siabuwa road was recently graded and gravelled years after the targeted deadline.

“Surprisingly, politicians will be speaking about roads development in their manifesto come election campaign. Same recycled lies, we have heard of these promises for years, but still struggle to have proper roads,” added Muzamba.

Passengers Association of Zimbabwe president Tafadzwa Goliath said they were concerned by the rising road accidents on the country’s roads.

“We are concerned by the rate at which people are losing lives due to road traffic accidents and we urge drivers to value lives. We are with the families of those who perished in Kariyangwe. May their departed souls rest in peace. To those who were injured, we wish them a quick recovery,” Goliath said.