THE Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has released US$71million to the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) to finance the upgrading of five major roads in Zambia to tarmac level.
The released amount is part of the US$262 million DBSA has loaned the agency for works on five priority roads namely, Chipata-Lundazi,Kalulushi-Lufwanyama, Kabompo-Chavuma, Mumbwa-Landless Corner and Senanga-Sesheke, three of which form part of the Trans African Highways route running from Cape Town to the DRC’s Katanga Province and beyond.
NRFA spokesperson, Alphonsius Hamachila said in a Press release yesterday that by developing the road infrastructure in Zambia, areas of high economic potential normally out of reach would become accessible and attract potential investors in agriculture, mining, tourism as well as unlock other opportunities for industrial developments.
The road projects being financed under the DBSA loan agreement link up parts of Eastern, Western, North-Western and Southern Zambia to the Western side of the North -South corridor hence opening up more economic trade routes with Angola, Botswana, DRC, Malawi, SouthAfrica, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
He said in Western Province, the road project under construction was the 221-km Senanga-Sesheke Road with a contract sum of K780billion.
This road project forms a vital link in respect of shortening the distance between Lubumbashi and Walvis Bay via Solwezi, Mongu and Katima Mulilo.
Mr Hamachila said in North-Western Province, the road project being funded under the DBSA loan is the 239 km of the Kabompo-Chavuma Road at an estimated cost of K290 billion.
He said in Central Province, the selected road project is the 115km stretch of the Mumbwa-Landless Corner which is being upgraded to a paved road at a cost of about K180 billion.
On the Copperbelt Province, the road project to be paved is the 60km of the Kalulushi-Lufwanyama Road (yet to be contracted) at an estimated cost of K130 billion and in Eastern Province, it is theupgrading of the remaining 91 km of the Chipata-Lundazi Roadand 15 km of selected urban roads in Lundazi at a cost of K97billion.
Zambia is a key transit country in the North -South Corridor as itsits in between borders of eight countries in the region.
And Government has launched the start of construction works foran alternative road from Maamba through Masuku to Choma which will beundertaken at the cost of K2.9 billion.
The construction works, which started on Saturday at the weekend, arebeing be undertaken by the Rural Roads Unit (RRU).
Southern Province Minister Elijah Muchima said the Maamba-Masuku-ChomaRoad would be more beneficial particularly in an event that the existing Maamba-Batoka Road developed a problem.
Speaking on Saturday afternoon during the commencement of constructionworks for the road, Mr Muchima said the new route would stimulate economic activities in various areas.
Out of the total K2.9 billion, Maamba Collieries Limited (MCL) would contribute K1.8 billion.
The Zambian Government would contribute K1.1 billion towards the road project.Mr Muchima said the Government’s contribution would be through theequipment that it had made available through the RRU.
He said the Government had sourced K13 billion for bridges inSinazongwe District that were previously washed away by heavy rains.
Mr Muchima said the MMD Government would ensure there wasinfrastructure development in Zambia such as roads which were important to national development.He said President Rupiah Banda was ready to deliver development to thepeople in the country.
He praised MCL for partnering with the Government on the project as well as for commencing the production of coal.
Sinazongwe District Commissioner Oliver Pelete said people in the districtused to get worried whenever it was rainy season as the area used to be cut off from the rest of Zambia because of heavy rains.
Mr Pelete said each time the bridges were washed away, it was always difficult for the people of Sinazongwe District to travel and get essentials outside the district.
MCL chief executive officer Kalunga Mumba said his company was part ofthe community and that it was not taking away the resources but also giving back through its community projects.
Mr Mumba said by being part of the Masuku-Choma Road, the mine wantedto prove that it could also do the road as a responsible corporate entity.
RRU provincial engineer Edward Ntinda said Government was committed tothe project and praised the Maamba Collieries Limited for partnering with the State to construct the Masuku-Choma Road.
Still no water delivery to Livingstone and all its surrounding areas! The UTH still does not get running water on a 24/7 basis, there are not enough medical staff in the few credible health institutions, teachers have poor facilities in schools, and the policemen require retraining away from shooting guns at citizens. These must be priority areas. The sponsoring of dodgy NGOs using tax-payers’ money to scandalize the opposition must stop because this activity entrenches a government that is corrupt and inept leaders currently in office.
Bruce, UTH has a qualified MD and it collects a lot of money besides the grants it gets from both government and the donors. It is in the state you have put across because of mismanagement by supposed professionals and not politicians. May be a better board of directors should put in place at UTH and also at Livingstone waters and sewerage company. Bruce, dont think only in terms of politics. Ensuring running water on a 24/7 basis should actually one of the performance measures you would give management in those critical institutions. You mismanage on your own and look to put the blame on the president?
The most important road that needs very urgent attention at the moment is the Mpika-Nakonde corridor, on that road you don’t find pot-holes but pits, this has been the case for the past years and no one seems to bother about it. Buses, trucks and small luxury cars have killed people but still no MMD leader gives a …… about it.During the rain season the road becomes completely impassable . If they don’t work on it this year before the rain season, more people will die during the rain season or the whole road will be completely impassable thereby cutting off the whole country from the port of Dar-es- Salaam.
Objective , thank you for educating Mwiya Bruce……………………………….:)>-
Objective, How much money does UTH raise? Who appoints the directors at UTH? Why dont they function? The answer is simple UTH is a simply mirror of the nonesense that is going on in Zambia
Priority should have been given to the following roads of more economic importance:
(1) Mpika-Nakonde road
(2) Widening of the Kapiri Mposhi – Ndola road
(3) Reconstructing the Chingola-Solwezi road
(4) Rehabilitating the Mufurila-Kitwe road
#3,,I appreciate your recommendations but i can tell u tht Mpika-Nakonde road is not the only road tht needs urgent attention in zambia but there r so many roads to b worked on. just because u frequently use tht road does not mean its urgent,,even the roads mentioned in the article r equally important. by the way, infrastructure development does not happen on a day but its a continuos process,same as socio-economic development,. so in this case,lets give credit where its due n appreciate any development that occurs on our soil..i therefore recommend DBSA for the good job n its up to the NRFA to utilize the resources effectively without ending in peoples pockets..lets fight corruption together n develop our beautiful nation….#2 OBJECTIVE,,thanx for imparting knowlege into MWIYA BRUCE.
Every year should be election year! lol
Loan and Loan and Loan and Loan…. Zambians get ready for higher tax on vehicles & fuel.
What is happening to the so called SADC Rd that was supposed to connect Sesheke-Kaoma-Mufumbwe-CB/Solwezi & DRC? I’m shocked that Kaoma-Lukulu Rd is not even in the plan.
#5 Madhorse
Mpika Nakonde road has already been be considered. It will be completed in the space of 36 months and three contractors have already been selected and I am hear some are on site. This is being done under COMESA because of the international nature of the road. Infact the contract is for the stretch from Serenje to Nakonde but split into three portions. It was also on COMESA website. So just a some info for you.
But the rds you have mentioned are also critical and need repair now, unfortunately such works are expensive and may not be done all at once.
This is old staff. Senenga- Sesheke road is almost 1/3 done. Give us more news. There is no bridge at Kazungula. Chiluba stole all the money for the project.
Your govt at work. Go Bwezani Go!!!! Without Bwezani this coutry will be dead
All these nice things are happening because of RB’s good policies and good governance! He is a listening President
LOANS, LOANS, LOANS. People open your eyes. We will never prosper because of these loans we have to keep on paying back. We should improve our tax collection in order for us to fund our own projects. Most developed countries remain prosperous from tax collection.Our economy needs better trained managers. TRAINING, TRAINING, TRAINING. We have to move away from this dependency life donor countries got us used to. Â REMEMBER nobody gives a loan out of kindness. Its to make a profit. World is turning to one big capitalist state. Epo mpelele
Its good to work on the roads in the country. The problem is the quality of works and reputation of the contractors.
#13
No wonder you have such a name.Bwezani himself says he is stubborn so hoow can he be a listening President? He is not development-oriented but a mere alcoholic.Ask Dora Siliya how many Lecturers she slept with at Unza to get her degree and it will give you an idea of Bwezani’s good policies.How can you pride yourself in building schools without quality teachers, hospitals without drugs and trained professional staff.?Keep licking RB’s anus and your job at the embassy may be secure for the time being.
What about roads in our compound or townships?
What about Nyimba – Petauke road????
YAY! So happy you guy made it! I cannot iagmine the how you feel landing in China. After all those months it will be great just to pig out! Miss you!