THE Government has started rehabilitating roads which were recently destroyed by heavy rains in Gokwe North in the Midlands Province. Several roads and bridges in the district as well as parts of Gokwe South were damaged by floods following incessant rains that pounded the two districts. Ume River in Gokwe North broke its banks resulting in the flooding that affected communities living along the river. Heavy rains across the country have this year destroyed crops, killed livestock and destroyed homes, schools, clinics and other key infrastructure such as roads and bridges. The Meteorological Services Department (MSD) has said the country will receive more rains this week, brightening prospects for a good harvest this season. The bulk of rainfall in Zimbabwe and most parts of southern Africa is strongly influenced by the seasonal shifts of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) coupled with rare and episodic occurrences of cyclone-induced rains
A number of public transporters who used to ply many routes in both Gokwe North and South have withdrawn their buses citing inaccessibility. Gokwe North district development coordinator, Mr Martin Musakanda who also chairs the district Civil Protection Unit, said most of the roads in the district were extensively damaged by floods. “We have already started rehabilitation of the roads and bridges courtesy of the Devolution funds and the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme 2 (ERRP2),” he said. “In Kuwirirana area, we are rehabilitating GMB and Mutora roads while in Nyamhara we are working on Zumba road.”
Mr Musakanda said Ward 9 which was the worst affected is inaccessible as the roads are in bad state. “Plans are underway to visit the ward so that there is an appreciation of what is on the ground and what needs to be done,” he said. Gokwe-Chireya MP Cde Torerayi Moyo said they are also working on relocating Mutimuri Primary and Mutimuri Secondary schools. “These schools are in a low lying area and plans are already in place to relocate them to higher ground. “We will be using part of the Constituency Development Fund money to build classrooms,” he said. Cde Moyo said the heavy rains destroyed bridges and roads. “The heavy rains resulted in flooding that destroyed our roads and bridges. Government is alive to the situation and work on rehabilitating the destroyed infrastructure has started,” he said. Gokwe North is one of the remotest districts in the Midlands Province. The Government under the Second Republic has been investing in road, health and educational infrastructure in the district in line with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), and the development agenda of leaving no one and no place behind. step dad Freaky Dave Chief Chireya said the rehabilitation of roads and bridges is critical to enable people to access Chitekete and Gokwe town for goods and services. “We are looking forward to this programme because some villagers have been stuck in their areas. Government should quickly rehabilitate the roads and bridges so that villagers’ lives return to normalcy,” he said. – The Chronicle
