Imelda Ambondo
The Parliamentary Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Housing has urged better planning, coordination, and funding to tackle Namibia’s worsening rural roads.
A report presented to the Parliament by the Committee last week acknowledged the government’s efforts through the Ministry of Works and Transport and the Roads Authority to improve national infrastructure. However, it said that “many regions continue to experience poor road conditions, particularly in rural and remote areas, where communities face major challenges in accessing essential services such as schools, clinics, and markets.”
During oversight visits, Committee members observed serious maintenance gaps across the country. “Maintenance of existing roads remains inadequate, with several gravel and earth roads deteriorating due to prolonged neglect,” the report noted. In many cases, roads become impassable during the rainy season, cutting off communities and disrupting vital services.
The Committee also found that weak coordination between national and regional structures continues to delay project implementation. It warned that limited consultation during planning has left regional priorities unaddressed. “Effective road infrastructure development requires collaborative engagement between Regional Councils, the Roads Authority, and the National Planning Commission,” the report said.
While the Committee praised progress in upgrading parts of the national road network, it emphasised that “the pace of development and maintenance remains a concern.” It called for “an urgent need to strengthen planning, budgeting, and monitoring mechanisms to achieve equitable and sustainable road connectivity across all regions of Namibia.”
To the Ministry of Works and Transport (MWT), the Committee urged the government to “Prioritise upgrading gravel and earth roads to bitumen or low-volume seal standard in areas with limited access to health, education, and administrative services. Allocate more funds for routine maintenance, especially for neglected rural roads. Accelerate completion of ongoing projects such as the Gobabis–Talismanus road in Omaheke. Establish regional maintenance units to respond quickly to deteriorating road conditions.”
The Roads Authority (RA) should, according to the Committee “Decentralise operations by creating regional offices in underserved areas like Zambezi. Improve coordination with Regional Councils when planning and prioritizing projects. Assess roads most affected by the rainy season to guide targeted maintenance efforts.”
The Committee also recommended that the National Planning Commission (NPC) conduct systematic regional consultations before approving road project budgets to ensure alignment with local needs, and to integrate rural access roads into the national planning framework.
At the regional and local levels, authorities should strengthen data collection on road conditions and promote community-based maintenance initiatives with the Roads Authority.
Finally, the Committee called on the National Council to maintain regular oversight. It urged that “the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Housing conduct visits during the rainy season to experience rural roads first-hand and better understand the challenges faced by communities.”
In August, The Minister of Works and Transport, Veikko Nekundi, announced that the government will no longer construct gravel roads, with all future projects to be built to tarred (bitumen) standard.
He made the announcement during the official launch of the 58-kilometre Omuthiya–Elambo road in the Oshikoto Region, which was originally planned as a gravel road. The road will now be upgraded to tarred standard.
Nekundi said that gravel roads will no longer form part of the ministry’s construction strategy. “From today on, there will be no road that will be constructed as a gravel road. Even this road will be built to a standard where it will not require revamping every week,” he said.
He said the move is aimed at ensuring roads are built to high standards from the start, allowing government resources to be directed to other priorities. “This is important, especially as it will make sure that government resources are used for the best benefit of the nation,” he added.
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