03 May 2022

Mohembo Bridge project was 99.8 per cent complete as at end of April.

Department of Roads acting Director-Development, Mr Lekang Motshwaedi said in interview yesterday following a recent stakeholders’ meeting in Shakawe, that the project which commenced on November 08 2016 had been expected  to take 32 months.

The project was due to be completed by July 07, 2019.

He said the project experienced delays and the contractor was given three more months to complete it but that did not materialise.

Mr Motshwaedi said the project was currently near completion as only road markings and joints were remaining.

“The road markings process is ongoing while three of the expansion joints are complete and only one expansion joint is to be done,” he said.

Mr Motshwaedi said the contractor had promised to complete the remaining parts of the project by end of May and hand over the complete project to the department of transport.

“Hopefully the bridge would be open for use by the public the first week of June and proper communication would be done through press releases and other channels,” he said.

Okavango Sub-district Deputy Council Chairman Mr Lelejwang Sokwe said Okavango people had been waiting in anticipation for the bridge.

Mr Sokwe said Mohembo Bridge would help people of Okavango, business community and tourists as it would ease movement from the western to the eastern part of Mohembo.

“People would be free to cross anytime of the day as compared to the current situation of relying on a pontoon which has time limit,” he said.

He appealed to people of Okavango to ensure proper use of the bridge once opened and avoid anything that would cause damage or road accidents such as crossing with livestock or holding picnics. Mr Sokwe further appealed to the government to fast track the maintenance of Gumare-Mohembo road and construct a road on Mohembo East to Gudigwa. BOPA