The Minister of Works and Transport, John Mutorwa, has announced phase two of the upgrade on the Charlie Cutline Road, 70 kilometres west of Rundu.

The second phase is set to run for six months, covering at least 35 kilometres at a cost of N$29.8 million.

The road connects the Kavango East, Kavango West, Oshikoto, and Ohangwena regions.

The second phase of the upgrade has already started, and it has so far covered 10 kilometres.

The Minister says this is a crucial undertaking towards the socio-economic transformation of rural areas as it will promote inter-regional trade.

"If you look at the activities along this road from King Kauluma up to here, it's mainly agricultural activities, animal husbandry, raising goats, and all these. We are also planting mahangu, so already one can see that this is a road that will help stimulate rural economic development in the truest sense of the word, so we are happy now to announce to the world that the second phase has already started."

The Minister urged the community and traditional leaders to continue working together with the contractor to ensure the best results.

Celebrating this great development was the Councillor of Mankupi Constituency and Member of the National Council, Lukas Muha.

"The time frame that you have announced and for the first phase to be completed was successfully completed during that time frame, and today there is nothing that will make us doubt your works, and after you have informed us that you are going to do the official commissioning offer for the second phase, the betterment standard that has been completed in terms of the first phase has already proven that this is a very important road. On your way here, you have seen a lot of new houses and homesteads."

The Chief Executive Officer of the Roads Authority, Conrad Lutombi, stated that the actual plan is to surface the road into a low-volume silk road for maintenance purposes.

"Once we have hit a helavi, we want to surface it into a low volume silk so that when you are from Canofly, you drive all the way up to Karukuvisa up to Ncaute on the low volume silk, and you connect from Ncaute to Sikanduko on the low volume silk. For the people coming from here, they will also be driving on the low volume silk, so that will save a lot in terms of maintenance. That is what we are planning."

Another 67-kilometre stretch will follow after the second phase.