Rudolf Gaiseb 

Transport minister Veikko Nekundi says funds are simply not enough to construct all roads needed in the country. 

This comes after questions about when the ministry will upgrade the MR112 road between Okahandja and Okondjatu to a bitumen standard. 

Nekudi told Parliament last Thursday that the upgrade was delayed due to a lack of funds. 

“This country is vast, with communities across the entire country in need of roads. Unfortunately, we and no one can construct all the roads our people need in 36 years. It is simply not possible,” he said. 

However, he assured that the upgrade of the road between Okahandja and Okondjatu is a top priority for the government. 

The procurement for a consultant to do the detailed engineering drawings started in 2025. Nekundi added that, everything “being equal”, the construction is expected to commence in the 2026/27 financial year.

The road was planned for upgrade in the Road Authority’s Strategic Plan for 2018/19 to 2022/23. In hindsight, the ministry was allocated N$2.7 billion for the 2025/2026 financial year. 

N$825 million was specifically set out for the construction of feeder and access roads, including upgrading of gravel roads to bitumen standard.

Proponent of the road’s construction Vetaruhe Kandorozu, leader of the National Unity Democratic Organisation, last year noted that the upgrading of the MR112 road to better standards removes a substantial amount of heavy traffic load from the Okahandja-Otavi road.

“The road significantly recorded a high number of accidents, crashes, injuries and fatalities, and is the leading accident-prone road in Namibia,” he said.

Kandorozu believes that the MR112 road will not only link various commercial towns but also regions, for example, the Otjozondjupa region, the two Kavango regions and the Zambezi region to the Southern African Development Community countries such as Botswana and Zambia.

“From Okahandja to Rietfontein, MR112 is shorter by about 60 km, meaning motorists will save on fuel costs. Both roads will reduce car crashes to a minimum, consequently reducing fatalities and injuries,” he said at the time.

In his response last Thursday, Nekundi said accidents on Namibia’s roads have nothing to do with the Okahandja-Okondjatu road but are about recklessness and intolerant behaviour on the part of drivers. 

– rgaiseb@nepc.com.na