Contractors fall behind on Nkurenkuru-Nepara road
Roads Authority’s (RA) CEO Conrad Lutombi says the construction of the road linking Nepara to Nkurenkuru, aimed at upgrading it from gravel to low-volume seal, is not progressing according to the contractual timeline.
Contractors were given until November to make progress or risk losing the contract.
The N$30 million Nkurenkuru-Nepara road project in the Kavango West region officially commenced 12 months ago.
The road, which currently serves several villages on the north-western side of Nkurenkuru, was set to be upgraded to a low-volume seal standard.
Phase one, covering 10 km, was expected to be completed within 10 months, while phase two, extending 18 km, was to follow.
The Nkurenkuru-Nepara road is a crucial link to the major regional trunk road that connects Kavango West and East to the Trans-Zambezi Corridor and other northern regions.
Delays
During a recent working visit to Kavango West, Deputy Prime Minister John Mutorwa was briefed by Lutombi on the slow pace of the project.
Lutombi expressed concern that the project is behind schedule and may not meet the completion deadline set out in the contract.
He added that the RA has engaged the contractor multiple times to address the delays. A final notice was issued, with November set as the deadline for progress.
Failure to meet this deadline will prompt the RA to terminate the contract and initiate an emergency procurement process to find a new contractor to complete the project.
Additional plans
The construction of a NaTIS office in Nkurenkuru, which is still in the planning stage, was also discussed.
Additionally, the implementation progress of a memorandum of agreement signed last year between the Nkurenkuru Town Council, RA and Roads Fund Administration was reviewed.
The agreement aims to assist Nkurenkuru in upgrading its roads to bitumen standards and maintaining its existing roads.
The regional leadership also requested an update from the works and transport ministry and the RA on the five identified roads that were scheduled for implementation during the current 2024/2025 financial year.
Rural communities in the Kavango East, Kavango West, and Zambezi regions have voiced their frustration over the lack of feeder and connecting roads, accusing the government of neglecting their needs, with serious consequences for their day-to-day lives.
This dissatisfaction was highlighted in a report by the standing committee on transport, infrastructure, and housing, following oversight visits to the regions between 26 September 2022 and 31 August 2023.
Kavango West Governor Sirkka Ausiku addressed the committee, highlighting the poor condition of roads in the region and urging faster progress on the Charlie Cutline Road, which would improve connectivity for local communities.
Frustrated communities
Regional leaders emphasised the urgent need for road development, particularly feeder roads that link remote areas to main roads.
“Most access roads are earth tracks, often sandy, and only passable with four-wheel-drive vehicles. Upgrading these tracks to gravel, and eventually to bitumen, is urgently needed,” the report stated. It also noted that no new road projects have been implemented in the region recently.
In the rural community of Mankumpi, residents depend on Rundu for essential services, and the lack of proper road infrastructure has severely hindered access to schools and healthcare. While residents expressed appreciation for the ongoing work on the Charlie Cutline Road, they remain frustrated that most roads are still sandy and can only be traversed by 4x4 vehicles.
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Contractors were given until November to make progress or risk losing the contract.
The N$30 million Nkurenkuru-Nepara road project in the Kavango West region officially commenced 12 months ago.
The road, which currently serves several villages on the north-western side of Nkurenkuru, was set to be upgraded to a low-volume seal standard.
Phase one, covering 10 km, was expected to be completed within 10 months, while phase two, extending 18 km, was to follow.
The Nkurenkuru-Nepara road is a crucial link to the major regional trunk road that connects Kavango West and East to the Trans-Zambezi Corridor and other northern regions.
Delays
During a recent working visit to Kavango West, Deputy Prime Minister John Mutorwa was briefed by Lutombi on the slow pace of the project.
Lutombi expressed concern that the project is behind schedule and may not meet the completion deadline set out in the contract.
He added that the RA has engaged the contractor multiple times to address the delays. A final notice was issued, with November set as the deadline for progress.
Failure to meet this deadline will prompt the RA to terminate the contract and initiate an emergency procurement process to find a new contractor to complete the project.
Additional plans
The construction of a NaTIS office in Nkurenkuru, which is still in the planning stage, was also discussed.
Additionally, the implementation progress of a memorandum of agreement signed last year between the Nkurenkuru Town Council, RA and Roads Fund Administration was reviewed.
The agreement aims to assist Nkurenkuru in upgrading its roads to bitumen standards and maintaining its existing roads.
The regional leadership also requested an update from the works and transport ministry and the RA on the five identified roads that were scheduled for implementation during the current 2024/2025 financial year.
Rural communities in the Kavango East, Kavango West, and Zambezi regions have voiced their frustration over the lack of feeder and connecting roads, accusing the government of neglecting their needs, with serious consequences for their day-to-day lives.
This dissatisfaction was highlighted in a report by the standing committee on transport, infrastructure, and housing, following oversight visits to the regions between 26 September 2022 and 31 August 2023.
Kavango West Governor Sirkka Ausiku addressed the committee, highlighting the poor condition of roads in the region and urging faster progress on the Charlie Cutline Road, which would improve connectivity for local communities.
Frustrated communities
Regional leaders emphasised the urgent need for road development, particularly feeder roads that link remote areas to main roads.
“Most access roads are earth tracks, often sandy, and only passable with four-wheel-drive vehicles. Upgrading these tracks to gravel, and eventually to bitumen, is urgently needed,” the report stated. It also noted that no new road projects have been implemented in the region recently.
In the rural community of Mankumpi, residents depend on Rundu for essential services, and the lack of proper road infrastructure has severely hindered access to schools and healthcare. While residents expressed appreciation for the ongoing work on the Charlie Cutline Road, they remain frustrated that most roads are still sandy and can only be traversed by 4x4 vehicles.
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