Government admits rural roads in dire state, urges councils to recruit communal labour

The government has acknowledged that the road network in Rural District Councils (RDCs) is in a deteriorating state, with many roads now impassable due to neglect and a lack of resources.

In response, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works is urging RDCs to adopt Nhimbe/Ilima, a traditional Zimbabwean communal labour system in which communities pool resources and work together for a common cause, to address the crisis.

Speaking to councillors and local authority staff from Matabeleland North during a recent training session by the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology, Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe stressed the need for collaboration among RDCs to repair and maintain roads.

“We want to see our roads properly maintained. The acting director of local government services, Tapiwa Zivovoyi, has informed us that the rural road network is no longer passable,” Garwe said.

“We are well aware of this, but now is not the right time to start roadworks. If we repair roads today, heavy rains will come tomorrow and damage them again.”

Garwe explained that the government is drawing inspiration from the Nhimbe/Ilima concept, a traditional practice in which communities unite to assist each other in farming, harvesting, and construction.

He urged RDCs to pool their construction equipment and resources to tackle the road infrastructure crisis collectively.

“The president has directed the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development to develop a programme based on the traditional principles our forefathers used,” Garwe said.

“The Nhimbe/Ilima principle teaches us that a community can pool resources for a shared objective. In this case, that objective is to restore and maintain our roads.”

Garwe pointed out that various RDCs own construction equipment, and by sharing these resources, they could collectively address road infrastructure challenges.

“Tsholotsho has some equipment, as do Nkayi, Hwange RDC, Hwange Local Board, Victoria Falls City, and Binga. If we pool these resources, we can focus on one district at a time,” he explained.

“For example, we could move all the equipment to Nkayi and complete all its roads before moving on to the next district, such as Tsholotsho. That is the Nhimbe/Ilima concept.”

The minister expressed disappointment that local authorities had not yet adopted this collaborative approach, despite having the necessary equipment and resources.

“I am disappointed that the director of ceremonies, who is also the director of local governance in this region, did not communicate this last year. We could have already seen progress,” Garwe said.

“The Minister of Transport, through ZINARA, will provide all the fuel required for this initiative, and we will also service the equipment.”

Garwe added that the initiative aligns with the government’s mantra, Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo (The country is built by its people), calling on citizens to take ownership of development efforts.

“What we are doing is putting the Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo principle into action. We, the people of Matabeleland North, have the necessary equipment. By pooling our resources through the Nhimbe/Ilima initiative, we can repair roads, build new ones, and maintain bridges using what we already have,” he said.

Garwe argued that resource fragmentation among RDCs was a major barrier to progress.

“Some councils have graders but lack rollers or water bowsers, making it impossible to complete roadworks independently,” he said.

“The reason it seems like we cannot fix the roads is because we are fragmented. Tsholotsho, for example, has three pieces of equipment—a bulldozer and a grader—but without a roller and a water bowser, they cannot complete a road. However, if each district contributes equipment, we can achieve what our forefathers did.”

The minister reminded councillors that the Nhimbe/Ilima concept is not new but a tested approach that has been used for generations.

“Our forefathers applied the Nhimbe/Ilima system for planting and harvesting. They pooled resources, worked together, and shared the harvest. We do not need to reinvent the wheel—it already works. We just need to implement it,” Garwe said.