11 Feb 2026

Parliament has been informed that the construction of the A35 Gumare-Sepopa Road is being carried out in half-width sections.

Answering a question in Parliament on Tuesday, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr Noah Salakae said the method allowed for the use of gravel bypasses until each section was completed, at which point traffic was diverted onto the newly constructed side while work continued on the opposite lane.

He explained that such approach was necessitated by a variation order and noted that the project was currently subject to funding limitations, which had constrained the ministry’s ability to provide a fully surfaced or tarred bypass.

On safety concerns, Mr Salakae indicated that the road had registered a total of 13 accidents during the construction period, including seven due to driver error, two involving collisions with animals and four attributed to adverse road conditions.

“Fortunately, no fatalities have been recorded. One injury was reported from a single incident, while the remaining accidents were classified as minor,” he added.

He acknowledged that while traffic was currently using the completed half of the road, the ministry was aware that certain sections became impassable, particularly during the rainy season.

He assured Parliament that the sections had undergone maintenance and that the road would be monitored continuously throughout the duration of the project.

The minister was responding to questions from Ngami MP, Mr Phillimon Aaron, who raised concerns regarding whether the A35 construction complied with national standards.

Mr Aaron questioned the lack of a standard alternative road for users during construction, the number of accidents caused by thick clouds of dust and whether the contractor was fulfilling their contractual obligations regarding bypasses. BOPA