Parque Nacional da Gorongosa Moçambique

Urema River-Muanza Road to Reopen

Sep 19, 2008 - Gorongosa National Park

Gorongosa Park “Closer” To Muanza And Beira

By Carlitos José Sunza

Work began in July, 2008, to clear vegetation in order to re-open the former road that once linked Gorongosa National Park’s Chitengo tourist camp with the current district of Muanza via the Urema River. The re-opening of this access route to the Park is considered very important in the context of recuperating the network of roads and highways that were in use before the civil war. It was the 16 years of civil war that led to the complete destruction of tourist infrastructure and administration of the Chitengo and Bela-Vista camps.

According to the Park Infrastructure Manager, Luís Filipe Leboeuf Jr., re-opening this stretch of road will also considerably decrease the distance currently traveled by car to and from Chitengo and the District headquarters of Muanza, and to and from Chitengo and the port city of Beira, capital of Sofala province and the second-largest urban center in the Mozambique.

Part of the Urema-Muanza Road is already cleared

This work is being carried out by the Infrastructure Sector of Gorongosa National Park as part of the Long Term Accord for joint management of the tourist facility between the Government of Mozambique, represented by the Ministry of Tourism, and the Carr Foundation. The Long Term Accord was signed in January 2008 and was consecrated by the President of the Republic, Armando Emílio Guebuza, in a public ceremony June 24, 2008.

According to João José Quembo, Roads Supervisor, the first phase of the work that was begun in July of this year is progressing satisfactorily and could be completed within two weeks.

Quembo explained that the rehabilitation consists of clearing trees that blocked the road and generally clearing vegetation along the route. For the time being, the structure of the previous road surface is not being altered.

However, the road will probably only begin to function effectively later this year when construction of two bridges is completed. One bridge crosses the Urema River and the other crosses over the Chibulibuli River.  The workers are employing modern, advanced road construction techniques that use local materials (including rock and the trunks of strong trees) to built a strong and lasting road.

The current state of the bridge over the Chibulibuli River

In total, close to 30 kilometers of road will be rehabilitated, including the stretch that links the Urema River and the community of Muanza. The job involves 15 workers recruited from the small local community of Muaredzi, which is located inside the Park. For most of these men, this work marks the first time in their lives that they have been employed. They say that they are very happy with the situation and that they are now able to take care of many basic necessities thanks to the wage they receive for the work they do. “This work is like a life saving buoy for me and my family after the recent ban on fishing issued by the Park. Fishing was our principal source of income and we used that money to cover health care costs and other basic necessities,” said Caetano Francisco Jasse.

The work of re-opening the 30-kilometer-long Chitengo-Muanza road, of which 13 kilometers have already been rehabilitated, is financed by Gorongosa National Park.

Carlitos José Sunza is the Radio Coordinator in the Communications Department of Gorongosa National Park.