Africa-Press – Botswana. The Ministry of Transport and Public Works is yet to submit a request for assessment and upgrade of the Kachikau-Parakarungu Road to tar. Addressing a kgotla meeting in Parakarungu recently, Minister Eric Molale told residents that assessments and consultations for the 36-kilometre gravel road stretch would be conducted for the upgrade in the next national development plan.
Mr Molale said in the meantime, the road would be maintained through dry grading to ensure that it was user friendly.
Due to the economic instability brought about by the COVID-19, government was forced to defer funds for some projects towards the fight against the pandemic. Kasane and Kazungula had been pronounced as new growth points under the national special plan, which means that roads infrastructure would be improved to compliment this status,” he said.
He added that P1.2 billion would be allocated to Chobe District to carry out infrastructure developments in August.
“Some of the projects to be carried out are the refurbishment of a 14-kilometre road in Pandamatenga, building a new hospital in Kasane, building of offices that were relocated from the Chobe river front, building a high court and more projects still at planning stage,” he said.
The projects, he said, targeted Batswana citizens to be awarded tenders to drive the citizen economic empowerment.
However, he expressed concern about the delays in completion of projects because of tender disputes in the courts. Member of Parliament for Chobe, Mr Machana Shamukuni said the Kachikau-Parakarungu road was critical to ensure efficiency in taking services to the people.
He said government funded the refurbishment, elevation and construction of culverts of this road. However, the section from Satau to Parakarungu was halted by tender disputes.
He added that Parakarungu and Satau were gateway to Botswana’s prime tourism destinations such as Linyanti. Tourists were bypassing the villages due to bad roads.
“I believe a tarred road will propel us to become a centre for tourism and be able to share our unique culture like our Seperu which has been registered as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by the United Nations,” he said.
Mr Shamukuni, who is also Minister of Justice, said the ministry would this financial year, introduce commercial court to adjudicate public projects to speed up their completion. Earlier, Kgosi Peter Chika of Parakarungu said road projects were a pre-requisite for the development and growth of any village.
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