By Trust Rukwava
Centre News Hub
CHILONGA — Residents of Chilonga in Chiredzi have appealed to Member of Parliament Ropafadzo Makumike to conduct a site visit to Chilonga Bridge, citing safety risks over plans to build a causeway on what they say is an unstable foundation.
In a letter to the MP, the community said it had hoped government was planning a properly engineered bridge, not a patch-up on the existing structure.
“Reports now indicate that the plan is to construct a causeway on top of the previous structure, which is unstable. As residents, we say safety first, and we have raised the alarm,” a residents’ representative said.
The community’s main concern is the foundation of the current bridge.
“The previous structure was not engineered. It was built on sand soil and has been unstable. Building on top of that puts the whole community at risk again,” reads part of the letter.
Residents argued that a temporary fix would not solve the problem and could lead to another collapse, especially during the rainy season when river levels rise.
They are also demanding transparency on the project, asking what engineering assessments have been done and why a causeway is being considered instead of a new bridge.
The community has asked the MP if he is aware of activities taking place on site and if he can visit Chilonga to hear directly from residents and assess the location.
“We appreciate that you have been one of the vocal voices for Chilonga, and that’s why we trust you with this,” the community wrote.
Residents stressed they do not want another short-term solution.
“We don’t want another temporary fix. We want a safe, engineered bridge that will serve generations,” they added.
The bridge is a critical link for Chilonga residents to access schools, clinics, and markets. Community members say the current structure becomes impassable during heavy rains, cutting off the area.
Efforts to get a comment from the MP’s office were unsuccessful at the time of going to print.
The community said it awaits a response and a possible site visit so that decisions are not made without seeing the ground.
The rehabilitation of the bridge follows a notice by government recently informing the public that the route to the bridge will be blocked for about 3 months.
Community leader, Headman Vhelemu, Livingstone Chikutu, echoed the same sentiments, saying the causeway was built on an unstable platform and risks being swept away by floods after heavy rainfall.
“This is not a solution at all. If we experience heavy rainfall, the causeway may be washed away by floods, and we will get back to the same problem. We thought the government would come up with a permanent solution that is to construct a proper bridge that will last for years,” said Chikutu.
