The Sunday News
GOKWE North district in the Midlands province might be the hub of cotton farming and (of course) the epicentre of mysterious happenings bordering on witchcraft in Zimbabwe.
The district might also have another badge on its cap and could arguably go down as the district with the worst state of roads countrywide.
A drive around the district, even in the type of vehicles designed specifically for rough terrain, guarantees one of the bumpiest and roughest rides that can ever be imagined.
The worst option to travel around the district would be to take the pirate jalopies that ply various routes in Gokwe North, as one would have to endure not only the bump-and-grind ride but the rattles and clatters that emanate from the ramshackle cars as well.
Transport blues are as common as manure in the area, as there are no buses that operate in the district anymore and travellers rely on pirate taxis. The pirate taxis are not many though, as some have pulled out from operating in the district due to the horrific state of roads.
Locals testify of the horror they bear each time they travel to and from Gokwe town which is in Gokwe South district, where they access essential services.
Before one gets to endure the rough ride aboard a dilapidated rattling pirate taxi, one might have to wait for close to three hours first to secure transport to whatever destination they will be going to in the district or beyond. Villagers say the situation can be far worse during the rainy season when the roads are muddy and slippery.
“At some points along the Nembudziya-Chireya road, passengers can be asked to disembark to allow the vehicle to navigate properly without any laod. During the rainy season, cars often get stuck in the mud and passengers are asked to disembark and push the car out of the mud. This is what we go through here in our day to day travelling and it’s not bearable,” said Mr Ishe Matsunge of Madzivazvido Village.
Gokwe North district has had poor roads for quite a number of years, but torrential rains which pounded the district in the past two successive rainy seasons worsened the situation leaving a trail of untold destruction on roads, bridges and culverts that link the district to its outside world. The situation threatens to isolate the district and make it inaccessible if it goes unabated.
Most roads in the district are impassable to motorists and require a great deal of courage, patience and skill to manoeuvre.
A 27-kilometre journey from Gulliver (Turn off from Gokwe-Chitekete road) to Chireya Business Centre can take close to an hour and 30 minutes to complete, as one must carefully negotiate the rough and uneven landscape on the rain-damaged roads. At some points one needs to drive as slow as 10km per hour as driving any faster may be detrimental to the car and ultimately journey which might be cut short if the car breaks down.
The pirate taxis charge as much as $5 from Chireya Business Centre to Gulliver and $4 from Gulliver to Gokwe town a distance of about 80 km.
Those who dare, walk to Gulliver using shortcuts, where transport services to Gokwe town are more efficient because of the tarred Gokwe-Chitekete road.
A Sunday News crew visited Gokwe North district last week and got a first-hand experience of the bump-and-grind travellers have to contend when travelling in and out of the district.
“It’s not easy travelling in and out of the district. Transport is scarce but we don’t have an option. Transport operators shun the district because of the poor state of roads. It gets even worse during the rainy season when it’s muddy and slippery. Most pirate taxi operators withdraw their cars while the few that remain will not be as efficient,” said Mr Noah Gato from Kudyawabaya Village under Chief Chireya.
Travelling to Gokwe town or the opposite direction to Nembudziya Business Centre, which is the administrative centre for Gokwe North district is, for many Gokwe folks, not just ordinary journey but one embarked on when there is compelling cause. There is no room for joyrides in the district.
Gokwe North district administrator Mr Fortune Mupungu told Sunday News, on Thursday last week, that a total of 11 bridges across the district had been damaged by floods.
Four of the 11 bridges on major roads were completely washed away making it impossible for travellers, especially motorists, to cross over to areas outside the district.
The four damaged bridges are Ume Bridge and Zumba Bridge in Chief Chireya’s area, Kaongo Bridge, and Musadzi Bridge in Ward 20.
Ume Bridge is on the road leading to Chief Chireya’s homestead from Nembudziya Business Centre and its destruction has since isolated the traditional leader from the district’s administrative centre.
Mr Mupungu said the destruction of Kaongo Bridge had cut off communication between the district and Gokwe town centre in Gokwe South district and some travellers, were forced to travel to their sister district via Kadoma, a route that is ridiculously long.
This is common during the rainy season when most rivers in the district will be flooded and the washed away bridges impassable.
“The situation is better now because most rivers do not have water and motorists can find ways of negotiating their way past the rivers. It gets worse during the rainy season when the rivers are flooded and the roads are muddy and slippery. The roads simply become impassable and it becomes difficult for travellers to move in and out of the district.
“There is an urgent need to rehabilitate our road network and other infrastructure such as bridges and culverts before the next rainy season starts. The roads belong to the District Development Fund (DDF) but they have said they do not have money to rehabilitate the roads, so it now requires a multi-sectoral approach to address the situation,” he said.
Mr Mupungu said about $800 000 was needed for the rehabilitation of the damaged roads, bridges and culverts.
Villagers, led by their traditional leaders, have since taken it upon themselves to rehabilitate the road network and damaged bridges, amid indications that DDF is yet to secure funds to address the problem.
The villagers have since started working on rehabilitating Ume Bridge by putting rocks and gravel on the area that was washed away by rains.
Although the measure is temporary, Chief Chireya said it would, in the interim make the bridge passable and reconnect his area to Nembudziya Business Centre until Government manages to secure enough funds to permanently rehabilitate the bridge.
He expressed hope that funds to rehabilitate the road network and damaged infrastructure would be secured before the next rainy season starts.
“What we have done is we have asked each headman and village head to co-ordinate their subjects and rehabilitate bridges and parts of the road that are damaged in their area. That way we are assured that the entire road network will be covered.
“People will bring together the little resources they can to address the problem. We hope that way we can also be able to attract more transport operators to our area,” he said.
Other damaged bridges that have been rehabilitated by villagers are Kaongo and Masahwi along the Chireya-Nembudziya road.
