YESTERDAY, Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Felix Mhona was quoted as assuring the nation that government was committed to the ongoing road rehabilitation projects across Zimbabwe.

Mhona was said to have dismissed reports that the projects were solely meant for the upcoming Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Heads of State and Government Summit, adding that the improvements were aimed at enhancing the overall well-being of Zimbabwean citizens.

“The renovation of the roads and infrastructure is not for Sadc, but it is for the betterment of our nation,” he said.

“The government is not going to stop the road renovations after the Sadc summit, but we are going to be consistent.

“Also, the public should feel free to inform the government to come and renovate the roads, which they feel need attention.”

Be that as it may, it does not help for Mhona to want to be a stickler.

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Many have come before him and promised Zimbabweans heaven on earth, but delivered nothing.

We have been promised many things in the past, which have failed to happen.

Has no one ever told him that all roads are in a terrible state in the country?

Just the other day, Mhona’s deputy Joshua Sacco promised Parliament that government would fix roads in Binga to cater for the increase in traffic volumes in the district.

This was after being asked to explain to the House the reasons behind the delays in the rehabilitation of two roads in Binga.

One of the roads is a mere 15km stretch, which has been crying out loud for rehabilitation for years.

Binga North MP Fanuel Cumanzala said the roads that had experienced inordinate delays were the Cross Dete-Binga, which has not undergone rehabilitation for over 15 years and a 15km stretch from Gwayi River to Lusulu via Lubimbi Road, which has remained untarred since the early 1980s.

To put things into context, Zimbabwe’s road network is about 90 000km, which includes paved or unpaved, urban, rural and State roads.

Making matters worse is the fact that government is failing to rehabilitate even gravel roads.

The timing of the road projects is bad.

It paints a picture that the government is trying to pull a fast one on the visitors.

It also paints a picture that the government is doing something just because there is a huge meeting of Heads of State and Government.

And we cannot be wronged for thinking that way.

Moreover, much of the road rehabilitation projects are taking place in the capital.

The government must fix the country whether we have visitors coming or not.