President Banda on March 4 commissioned the US$25 million modern Kasumbalesa border facility.
The Kasumbalesa border post becomes the first project to be commissioned under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative.
Mr Banda said during the commissioning ceremony on March 4 that government recognises the role of the private sector as a partner in infrastructure development.
“The private sector in partnership with Government can achieve a lot in terms of the development of infrastructure and hence national development,” Mr Banda said.
He said the participation of the private sector in infrastructure development releases Government resources for other priority areas like health and education.
“I want us Zambians to adopt and assimilate public private partnerships as critical in the future development of our country. This new business approach will increase efficiency in construction and maintenance of infrastructure services in Zambia,” Mr Banda said.
He said Government expects that the local community will benefit from new jobs and improved social amenities like roads, a market and schools at Kasumbalesa.
Mr Banda said Government is working to upgrade all major border posts like Kazungula, Nakonde, including Mwami, Kipushi and Jimbe through the PPP approach.
He was confident that Kasumbalesa border and others to be modernised will increase the volume of trade in the SADC and COMESA regions and beyond.
“The challenge is for all local authorities to be involved in the planning and implementation of the various PPP projects being implemented in their jurisdictions. Councils must ensure that their communities are fully involved and benefit from the projects,” Mr Banda said.
He said it is necessary for Zambia to improve its border post management to enhance passage and transparency
Mr Banda also congratulated the Zambia Border Crossing Company for the project and for employing local people at Kasumbalesa.
Mr Banda said Government recognises the necessity to mordernise all border posts because having only one modern border at Chirundu is not sufficient for the rapid clearance of cargo carriers.
He is concerned that the trucks which may be quickly cleared at Chirundu border post get marooned at other unimproved border posts such as Kasumbalesa.
“My Government understands that in order to successfully implement the operations of the ultra modern Chirundu border post, it is important to modernise other posts as well,” Mr Banda said.
He said this is the reason why the Kasumbalesa border post has been built and Government wishes to see the facility evolve into a one-stop border post in line with the set Southern African Development Community (SADC) standards.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
This PPP needs to enpower alot of zambians NOT foreigners…We as zambians are to be given access to long term LOANS to build infrastructure and create employment to many jobless zambians.We want government to empower us just like China,Lebenon,India and korea is doing to there peoples.ONLY zambians will develop zambia.
kaku take your time things happen one step at a time and stop your comparing do you know the GDP or economic strength of the countries you are mentioning they too started the same way we are just be patient.
Kaku, these projects are open to everyone not just foreigners and the long term loans come from the banks not government.
We have to start working at overcoming the challenges faced by our local private sector by practical measures not just complaining and hoping Government will come to the rescue
The Loans come from banks. The banks will not Give you a loan if you are employed on Contract. Most of the employees in Zambia are on one year Contract. even young men below 55 years of Age. Shame in Zambia as if we have no Economists.
Kaku is very right.Thats why Zambia is always conned by foreigners.From the responses already received you can see how Zambians’s mentality is towards freigners.Its. the only country that worships every foreigner no matter how lowly the can be.
The point is the GVT must empower its people and there is nothing wrong with that.Go out of Zambia and see if there is any country out there that is going to lay any carpet they way zambia does
Learn from Chiluba moses Katumbi saga.Obviously the deal empowered Katumbi at the expense of millions of zambians and here we are.Look at Mathani now?Do we have capacity to learn?
The mines now are not benefitting Zambians s they should,recall Kaunda era winston oil from grass?maharish heaven on earth?Too many examples to cite.Point is lets learn!!!!!!!!!!
#kaku: to supplement Kaku’s point, it is amazing how Zambians have been duped by the current government to believe that PPP is some kind of a panacea to all our infrastructure problems; far from it. The government has very il qualified professionals with Zero experience on PPP projects. That Ndopu or what ever is his name is shows utter mediocrity when he is explaining PPP on MMD-TV. Its disgusting to say the least. In normal PPP projects, the public is a key stakeholder, hence time scales, return rates, and eventual time when the project would have to be transferred to the public are supposed to be given to the public. Such issues as “cost per use”; and the length of time for operational and maintenance costs should be debated. This RBish is selling Zambia without u lot realising it!!
As a public project, we need to know hw much the private sector will invest; how much they will make, in what state the project will be transfered to the “public”; and what are the risks to the public. While the private sector would have worked out their risks; can you imagine how poor the public risks have been assessed? RB might be sying they have spent $25m; yet the job could have been done for $15m; yet they are going to charge $25m; with loads of interest to be paid because of the time frame involved. The problem in Zambia is that technical assistance from fellow Zambians “like me” is considered “ZERO” to the public life; hence tuma politicians use an “election cycle” to develop infrastructure. It is a costly and most stupid way of developing infrastructure.
Papa Werra, well said!! Unfortunately, this will fall on deaf ears at least for the people in positions of influence, as this will deny them their ill-gotten gains. HOWEVER, THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY MATTER, are the Z people who have a chance this year of STOPPING THE ROT. IT IS VERY POSSIBLE; THE OPPOSITION WILL HAVE TO DELIVER, BY SWALLOWING THEIR INDIVIDUAL PRIDE!! IF THEY DON’T IT WILL BE VERY HARD TO FORGIVE THEM. WE WOULD THEN HAVE TO DO IT like in North Africa as at the moment!!
Its possible tha in this project the zambian govt may have a little stake. The main individual involved got a loan from Development Bank of Southern Africa and for long time will be getting a larger share of the investment to pay back the loan. Hope our govt has put in strong border control measures to protect the country from exploitations. Should this project become succesful, the valuable lessons learned should be tried on other sectors as well, provided the govt gives first chance to zambians or atleast encourage investors to go into partnership with Zambians so the citizens can benefit as well.
safi sana kwa mpango mzuri wa kujenga boda mpya big up zambia big up congo
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