Hambyuka laments poor state of B8 road
Roads Authority says upgrades underway
The Kavango East governor warned that the road's poor condition poses a threat to vehicles and puts lives at risk.
The hazardous condition of the B8 road between Rundu and Divundu – spanning nearly 200 km – has infuriated Kavango East governor Hamunyera Hambyuka.
He warned that the road's poor condition is not only damaging vehicles but also putting lives at risk, particularly due to the sheer number of potholes riddling the route.
Speaking to Namibian Sun on Tuesday, Hambyuka, during a visit to the bereaved family who recently lost three children in a lightning incident near Divundu, said: “When I, this morning, travelled from Rundu to the area where the incident of lightning happened, I observed that there are a lot of potholes. As we are living in Rundu, if you happen to count them, there are a lot – more than a hundred and it needs to be fixed.”
He said temporary methods used to fix the road are not working.
“What I'm seeing in other areas – the people fixing these potholes – they are putting sand. To me, sand will not cope with the tyres. When it rains, the water removes the sand. So the next day, it's still a pothole,” he said, calling for a qualified company to carry out proper repairs.
“Rather than hiring people who just want to chop quick money but are not doing proper work, we need the Roads Authority to get a company that can do proper fixing,” he stressed.
He warned that the road conditions pose serious threats to motorists and pedestrians.
Bumpy road ahead
Contacted for comment, Roads Authority (RA) CEO Conrad Lutombi confirmed that the road between Rundu and Divundu is undergoing rehabilitation, but said progress has been delayed by several factors.
“We were carrying out light rehabilitation from Rundu up to around kilometre 70. But there are other sections that have deteriorated so badly that a light fix won’t work,” he explained.
According to Lutombi, the contractor responsible for the work is China Henan International Cooperation Group (CHICO), who had to halt and adjust their plans due to the severity of the road damage.
“That 27-kilometre stretch became so damaged that the solution of light rehabilitation could not continue. We had to move to a full rehabilitation, which took time to design and plan,” Lutombi explained.
He added that the commencement of full rehabilitation was delayed due to the lack of suitable road-building materials, which had to be transported from far away.
The reconstruction of the severely damaged 27-kilometre section is now underway and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, with the estimated cost of around N$150 million. However, Lutombi noted that this figure excludes costs for quarry development, which are considered commercial services.
He warned that the road's poor condition is not only damaging vehicles but also putting lives at risk, particularly due to the sheer number of potholes riddling the route.
Speaking to Namibian Sun on Tuesday, Hambyuka, during a visit to the bereaved family who recently lost three children in a lightning incident near Divundu, said: “When I, this morning, travelled from Rundu to the area where the incident of lightning happened, I observed that there are a lot of potholes. As we are living in Rundu, if you happen to count them, there are a lot – more than a hundred and it needs to be fixed.”
He said temporary methods used to fix the road are not working.
“What I'm seeing in other areas – the people fixing these potholes – they are putting sand. To me, sand will not cope with the tyres. When it rains, the water removes the sand. So the next day, it's still a pothole,” he said, calling for a qualified company to carry out proper repairs.
“Rather than hiring people who just want to chop quick money but are not doing proper work, we need the Roads Authority to get a company that can do proper fixing,” he stressed.
He warned that the road conditions pose serious threats to motorists and pedestrians.
Bumpy road ahead
Contacted for comment, Roads Authority (RA) CEO Conrad Lutombi confirmed that the road between Rundu and Divundu is undergoing rehabilitation, but said progress has been delayed by several factors.
“We were carrying out light rehabilitation from Rundu up to around kilometre 70. But there are other sections that have deteriorated so badly that a light fix won’t work,” he explained.
According to Lutombi, the contractor responsible for the work is China Henan International Cooperation Group (CHICO), who had to halt and adjust their plans due to the severity of the road damage.
“That 27-kilometre stretch became so damaged that the solution of light rehabilitation could not continue. We had to move to a full rehabilitation, which took time to design and plan,” Lutombi explained.
He added that the commencement of full rehabilitation was delayed due to the lack of suitable road-building materials, which had to be transported from far away.
The reconstruction of the severely damaged 27-kilometre section is now underway and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, with the estimated cost of around N$150 million. However, Lutombi noted that this figure excludes costs for quarry development, which are considered commercial services.
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