Mutare residents have called on the city fathers to take swift action and address the road network system in the aftermath of the cyclone Idai.
A number of roads and bridges are in bad state having been washed away by the heavy rains.
By Tapera Gwezhira
Residents who spoke to 263Chat said the very rains which pounced most places in Manicaland province and left over 200 people dead caused more damage to their roads which were already in a deplorable state.
Stanford Tichafa of Yeovil said the sand soils which the city council’s road maintenance department had previously used to fill potholes was washed away by the cyclone leaving the roads in bad state again.
Tichafa urged the city father to come up with permanent measure when fixing roads.
“Cyclone Idai caused more damage to our roads as it eroded all the sand soils which the city council had used to fill the potholes. The to road Chikanga which passes through the Coca-Cola industrial area has become so deplorable with potholes all over which then calls the drivers to be patient,” said Tichafa.
“Those potholes must be sealed with the tar not sand soils because sand won’t last longer as many motorists use that road. They are damaging our vehicles, so the city council must hear our cries and fix the roads”, he added.
Kenias Mharadze, who resides in Chikanga Two suburb said the potholes that had developed after cyclone Idai will cause road accidents if not urgently attended.
He added that the city council is not committing itself to road maintain as most of the roads which used to be be good are now history as they continue unattended, but to be filled with sand to cover potholes.
“Our roads are no longer safe for drivers because of the potholes. They may cause accidents if they are not attended to as drivers will be trying to avoid potholes,” Mharadze said.
Mutare city mayor, Blessing Tandi told a media briefing last month at Mutare Civic Centre that the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) had approved 2,1 million tender for road rehabilitation around the city.
The Mayor said the tender which was awarded to the Fossil Investment Company is set to bring a new face to the road network system in and around the city.
