Mohembo Bridge award sweetens Okavango allure
Mbongeni Mguni | Monday September 18, 2023 06:00
Kobamelo Kgoboko, who was in Singapore this week to accept an Award of Merit by the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC), given for the design of Mohembo Bridge, said the landmark complements the tourism package that attracts visitors from all over the world to Botswana.
Whereas infrastructural developments in ecologically sensitive areas often imply conflict, FIDIC’s panel of judges recognised how the Mohembo Bridge seamlessly blends into the surroundings, the iconic elephant tusks resonating with the Delta and the fully solar-powered operations reducing the footprint on the environment.
“A key issue was the guarantee of mobility of all other animals including fish, river sediment and the floodplains,” Kgoboko told Mmegi in an interview from Singapore on Wednesday. “The judging panel was looking at the aesthetic design, which was a huge deal, but another major issue was how the project addresses environmental issues. “With Mohembo Bridge, the issue of climate change was always on the agenda and was part and parcel of the design concept. “The bridge is the beginning of the Okavango UNESCO site, which is also under the Ramsar Convention and we had to comply with both of those.”
In a statement, FIDIC emphasised that the awards serve to highlight, acknowledge, and amplify the accomplishments and triumphs of consulting engineering firms and their clientele worldwide.
These projects significantly contribute to enhancing the quality of life on a global scale by affecting social, economic, and environmental aspects. Amongst the successful projects recognised are initiatives from various corners of the world, including the United States of America, Australia, Canada, China, and Ireland.
The Mohembo Bridge is the first of its size to be recognised by FIDIC in the region.
At 1,161 metres, which exceeds the Kazungula Bridge by 238 metres, the Mohembo Bridge not only holds the record as the nation's longest bridge at present but also maintains its position for the foreseeable future, with no plans for a longer bridge within the country.
Officially opened last January, the Mohembo Bridge boasts a width of approximately 12.5 metres, featuring two traffic lanes and two pedestrian walkways.
Its most remarkable architectural element is the elephant tusk pylons, technically referred to as cable stays, strategically positioned 200 metres apart to support the bridge.
Kgoboko, the managing director of engineering firm, CPP Botswana, says the awards had specific entry criteria.
“They looked at how the project addresses the Sustainable Development Goals, such as its importance in terms of alleviating poverty, issues of economic growth and innovation. “They wanted to see how the project is meant to sustain communities living around it and how it reduces inequality.”
Besides its social impact, the aesthetics of the Mohembo Bridge stands head and shoulders above many of its contemporaries. Kgoboko explained that the Botswana team also had to explain the choices made in the design.
“We had to show what the design of the elephants' tusks mean as far as Botswana is concerned, being the home of the world’s elephants,” he said. “That’s why we were able to impress the panel.”
CPP’s involvement with Mohembo Bridge goes back to 2004 when the firm was asked to do a quick pre-feasibility study for Cabinet which needed to decide on whether to go ahead with the project. The firm later successfully bid for the project consultancy and far from the usual drab, utility-focussed bridges across the country, Kgoboko and his team were asked to produce something iconic because the project involved the equally iconic Delta area. The current design was chosen from a list of six CPPs put together for government.
With more than 100 bridges under his belt over a career spanning nearly 30 years and with structures across the continent, Kgoboko views the Mohembo Bridge as his greatest achievement.
The award in Singapore is the icing on the cake.
“It’s something for us as a country to be proud of,” Kgoboko told Mmegi. “Everyone knows and likes the Mohembo and this award is something that adds to say ‘this is not just another bridge, but something that actually enhances tourism in this area and the country’. “We can say this is an award-winning bridge and it adds to Tsodilo, to the Delta, to Gcwihaba, to the Chobe. “It should also encourage all engineers, especially the upcoming ones, to say we can also do it. “It doesn’t have to be a bridge, because engineering encompasses a lot of disciplines, but the award says we can do it as engineers in this country.”