Minister Gumbo bemoans corruption at VID Cde Gumbo

Nyemudzai Kakore : Herald Correspondent

Corruption has reached alarming levels at the Vehicle Inspection Department and Government will descend hard on the department, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo said yesterday. Speaking on the occasion of the commissioning of Bindura VID Depot and the Bindura Matepatepa Road in Bindura yesterday, Dr Gumbo said to minimise corruption, the majority of the tests would be done within VID premises.This, he said, was meant to minimise the time VID official’s interacted with candidates under examination.

As such, Dr Gumbo said the hill-start structure would be a standard feature at all VID Depots countrywide as it was a requirement under the Sadc Protocol on Transport, Communications and Meteorology.

“Allow me to express my grave concern on the corrupt allegations being raised against the Vehicle lnspection Department. It is a matter for regret that VID Bindura has not been spared of these allegations,” said Dr Gumbo.

“Completion of the hill-start is one of the initiatives to minimise corruption and this will be a standard feature at all VID Depots countrywide and my Ministry is moving to upgrade all VID Depots to include such infrastructure.”

The project for the Bindura VID Depot commenced in 2004 but could not be completed timeously due to the difficult economic conditions and was resumed in 2014 leading to its completion this year.

The VID project includes the construction of an office block consisting of Learners licence hall, inspectors/examiners offices and the hill-start gradient slope and other civil works at an estimated cost of $1,2 million.

Said Dr Gumbo: “The VID depot is meant to serve the whole of Mashonaland Central Province, which is a very big catchment area. The vehicle inspection and driver testing are important tools that are meant to improve our conduct on the roads and thereby reduce accidents.”

Turning to the Bindura-Matepatepa Road, Dr Gumbo said it was a rehabilitation programme that included re-grading and resurfacing of a 1km stretch towards Matepatepa.

The project, which links Bindura Hospital to the main tarred road, was negatively impacting on the movement of patients to and from the institution.

“The project started on 17 May 2016 and the first phase of 1km was completed by the 8th of June 2016. The 1km stretch was in an advanced state of disrepair and had developed huge potholes that made it an ambulance driver’s nightmare.”

Local Government Public Works and National Housing Minister Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, said President Mugabe always spoke of development through Zim-Asset and added that it was incumbent upon every Government official to fulfil the promises made to the electorate.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Province Advocate Martin Dinha, said engagements with Zambia had commenced with regards to Kanyemba Border Post as it would attract high volume of traffic since it was the shortest route that linked Harare, Lusaka and the rest of the southern Africa region.

He said other strategic projects identified were Bindura-Shamva, which was left with 4,3km to complete, Old Mazoe Road also needed attention as it linked Harare and Mazoe, 100km of Domboshava-Muchapondwa Road, which is in a bad state, 5km section of Rushinga-Chimhanda Road that was yet to link Chimhanda area, and the construction of Hoya bridge in Muzarabani.

Other projects are Pembi bridge construction, Mt-Darwin-Mukumbura (Ndoda) road as well as gravelling roads in the Zambezi valley which are impassible during the rainy season.

Mashonaland Central Zanu-PF Provincial chairman Cde Dickson Mafios called on all corrupt officials including the ones implicated in fraud cases involving the rehabilitation of the Matepatepa Road to be arrested and convicted.

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