Zimpapers Logo

Stephen Mpofu
Perspective

GAPING holes alias potholes worn by roads in both urban and rural areas have lamely been blamed by local authorities in particular on recent rains as if the skies came down to make up for the delay of the falls recorded in December and early January.

But, if truth be told, the dangerous state of both urban and rural road infrastructure lies squarely on the lack of focus or ignorance of local authorities on the critical role that roads and bridges play in national development not only in our country but across the globe.

What therefore comes into focus here is the caliber of those running urban and rural councils, people whose roles include the policing of roads and key infrastructure such as bridges leading to major economic projects in their areas but some of whom have recently come on focus for corrupt practices instead of working diligently to improve services and with that the welfare of the people who look to them for better life.

Poor state of the roads 

Some council employees in our major urban areas have lately been blamed for lining up their pockets while services to better the lives of those they ought to serve went to the dogs so to speak and this pen has recently called for the institutions of commissions of enquiry in local authorities across the country to weed out roadblocks to better services for all in their respective places of employment.

In big urban centres such as Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s industrial hub, the poor state of roads makes it difficult for companies to both access and provide goods and services for development across the city.

Which calls for city gurus to work on long-term solutions for the City of Kings and Queens to continue to lead the way in industrial development in response to our President Mnangagwa: “nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/ ilizwe lakhiwa ngabaninilo/ a country is built (developed) by its owners” philosophy.

The situation in the countryside appears worse than that in urban areas with roads and bridges in a deplorable state of disrepair for use even by donkey or ox driven- carts so that motor vehicles find it difficult to navigate and provide the necessary services.

The good news is that the government will speed up provision of the devolution fund to for rural areas to play their roles in national development.