Kgosi Ndhowe of the Okavango Region has raised concerns in Ntlo ya Dikgosi over the continued delay in the upgrading of the Mohembo-Gudigwa road to bitumen standard, prompting a response from the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Noah Salakae.

Posing a question during a session of the House, Kgosi Ndhowe called on Minister Salakae to provide an update on the status of the 160-kilometre road project, which has long been awaited by the Okavango community.

In his response, Minister Salakae acknowledged the poor state of roads across the country, including the Mohembo-Gudigwa route. He explained that the road project is still in its planning stages and has not yet reached the construction phase.

“I will be the first to admit that the vast majority of our roads are in a bad state, including the Mohembo to Gudigwa road,” said Salakae. “The construction works have been planned for delivery through the Development Manager model. The project is currently at Stage 2, which focuses on concept and viability, and will lead to the final design.”

Salakae further informed the House that preliminary work, including geotechnical assessments and topographic surveys, has been completed. He noted that this data will guide the final design of the road and help estimate the total construction cost.

Despite the technical progress made, Salakae expressed concern about the government’s current financial limitations, stating that no construction date has been confirmed.

“Because of the dire state of our national finances, we are unable to state the exact date at which construction will commence,” he told the House.

The Mohembo-Gudigwa road is a crucial link in the Okavango region, serving remote communities and holding strategic importance for tourism and conservation logistics. Local leaders and residents have long complained that the road’s poor condition hampers access to essential services, economic opportunities, and emergency response.