Patience Makwele
Members of parliament have questioned the government’s ability to deliver on road infrastructure plans announced during the State of the Nation Address.
The concerns were raised during a budget debate for the Ministry of Works and Transport this week.
Lawmakers pointed to poor road conditions, delayed projects and funding challenges. They said ongoing projects alone may not be enough to address wider challenges in the road network.
Swapo member of parliament Sebastiaan Karupu raised concerns about roads in the north.
“We have observed that the pieces from Grootfontein to Rundu and from Divundu to Kongola are in the same condition as the one that you are attending to. I just wanted to know how you are going to navigate that with these limited resources allocated to your ministry,” he said.
Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) member of parliament Nelson Kalangula questioned progress on the Walvis Bay to Maltahohe road.
“On the road of R14, Walvis Bay to Maltahöhe, I spoke about that last year also. How far are you with this? Is there any traction there?” he asked.
Parliamentary records also show that some projects have stalled due to funding constraints.
Plans to build a weighbridge in Katima Mulilo were halted even after approval and budget allocation.
The concerns come days after President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah reported progress on road projects during her Sona last week.
She cited the completion of the road to Hosea Kutako International Airport and other works, as well as the hiring of engineers.
Lawmakers said there is a gap between plans and what is happening on the ground.
Poor roads are also affecting communities. Parliamentary submissions show that teachers sometimes leave vehicles behind and walk long distances.
In some cases, sick learners are carried to clinics because roads are not accessible.
IPC leader in the National Assembly Immanuel Nashinge raised concerns about infrastructure safety.
“How many professional engineers do we have as a country with experience in bridges? I have seen… bridges that are having scary cracks,” he said.
A civil society representative said some communities are cut off when roads become impassable.
“In some areas, communities are effectively cut off when roads become impassable. This affects access to healthcare, education and other essential services.”
Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa said long-standing road requests remain unresolved.
“The upgrading of the Sandy Onesi Epalela Road to a low-sealed bitumen road has long been overdue. Requests for the upgrading of this road date back two years after independence,” she said.
Housing commentator April Limbo said the problem is not only funding.
“In almost every region you find that local authorities are already struggling to deliver basic services and road infrastructure is no exception,” Limbo said.
“This is not just a funding issue; it is also a capacity and coordination problem.”
Minister Veikko Nekundi said some projects are in progress.
“We discussed the issue of the road. The contractor is on site; the total budget for that road is N$276 million,” he said.
Transport expert Rian Tafadzwa Kudziwa said poor roads are affecting the economy.
“Poor road conditions increase vehicle maintenance costs and delay the movement of goods,” Kudziwa said.
“In the long term, it affects the competitiveness of the economy.”
Political analyst Joubert Harushando said the issue points to execution problems.
“What we are seeing is a clear gap between policy commitments and implementation on the ground. The government continues to make strong announcements, but execution remains slow and inconsistent,” Harushando said.
