Traditional leaders have expressed serious concern over the continued delays in upgrading the MR112 Okahandja-Otjozondu-Okondjatu Road, despite it being declared a government priority more than a decade ago.

Chief Sam Kambazembi of the Kambazembi Traditional Authority says the government has been allocating funds for the project since the tenure of the late President Hage Geingob, but construction has yet to commence.

Community members fear the project has been abandoned, citing the lack of visible progress on the ground.

Chief Kambazembi says he was recently informed by the Roads Authority that the detailed design of the road is at an advanced stage.

"So the budget for this financial year will end only with throwing lines designing where the roads should come; only in the next year will there be money for actual road construction. That is the answer from the Road Authority. Apparently the papers of designing are still not yet with the contractors; they're still in the office of the minister."

He says it is important that the road be tarred, especially at the B1 intersection, as it will ease the volume of traffic on that road.

"We know money is not enough, but at least the commencement of the road should be there."

Although the road was not mentioned in this year's State of the Region Address, it was previously mentioned that the Ministry of Works and Transport had allocated 5 million for the detailed design of the road and that procurement for the detailed design of the Okahandja-Otjozondu-Okondjatu Road was underway.
More talks regarding the Okahandja-Otjozondu-Okondjatu Road continued for over a decade.

Echoing similar concerns, Uitkoms Traditional leader Chief Katae Aukus of the San community says plans for the upgrading of the Okahandja-Otjozondu-Okondjatu Road have been on the agenda for years.

"This year is now coming to an end. We are hearing that they will start working on the road. When they are starting is what we don't know. We've been fighting for this road for so long, as a lot of people have died on this road since 2018 when we came here because the road is bad."

He says the road needs to be tarred to enable road users to get to their destinations safely.
Chief Aukus says he's hopeful that the message reaches the right audience, adding that they do not need more talks about the road but rather work to commence.