Tuesday, April 23, 2024

RDA terminates Kabwe, Kapiri roads rehab contract awarded to a Chinese firm

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THE Road Development Agency (RDA) has terminated a contract for the rehabilitation of all the roads in Kabwe and Kapiri Mposhi districts in Central Province which was awarded to Chinese firm, Jiangsu Wujin Corporation following an alleged breach of the contract.

On Tuesday, some Kabwe residents protested against the poor state of most roads in the city and called for a thorough scrutiny of contractors who were allegedly paid without working on the roads.

RDA spokesperson Loyce Saili said the agency decided to terminate the contract because of failure by the contractor to follow laid-down procedures.
Ms Saili said the agency was in the process of engaging a new contractor but could not give further details on the matter, adding it was currently under investigations by law-enforcement agencies.

However, Times investigations in Kabwe revealed that the law-enforcement agencies had recorded statements from several officials, including those from the construction company.

Some sources said the agency terminated the contract last month after establishing that most road works in Kabwe had halted while equipment had been removed from the construction sites.

They said the contractor, who was also awarded another contract to repair some roads in Kapiri Mposhi, was paid K15 billion from the total amount of K117 billion.
Some students from Nkrumah University complained about the poor state of the road that the contractor had abandoned.

And some residents said in a walk-in interview with the Times in Kabwe that the area member of Parliament (MP) should address the matter and ensure contractors who had received payments but failed to fulfill their obligations were punished.

Isaac Mwila, on behalf of others, said the residents were aware that some contractors had received payments to repair roads that include Munkoyo Street which leads to Nkrumah University, and Buntungwa, but that no satisfactory work had been done so far.

He said as taxpayers, the residents of Kabwe wanted to see improved roads in the city and that it would be unacceptable for some contractors to go scot-free.
Efforts to get a comment from Jiangsu Wujin Corporation failed as the mobile phones were stitched off.

However, Kabwe Central MP James Kapyanga called for calm and reaffirmed the Patriotic Front Government’s resolve to address such matters.

29 COMMENTS

  1. Do you have to wait for protests to realise that the contractor is not working according to contract specifications? Where are the consultants on the project?

  2. Stupid system. Hw can they let this happen. We should be talking about sourcing funds not shody work by contructors. This is a clear lack of political will by politicians failing to ensure contructors deliver to the expectations of the general public. There are just too many freaken loop holes. 

  3. How can a contractor do work without checking and testing. MMD, it was free for all. That company must pay back the down payment.

  4. Ha ha Ha ha. # 5 u have made me laugh. Are u serious? Contractors have swindled u and u wanteveryone to leave them alone. ha ha ha hilarious.

  5. Ha ha Ha ha. # 5 u have made me laugh. Are u serious? Contractors have swindled u and u want everyone to leave them alone. ha ha ha hilarious.

  6. this time tealing at the RDA will be difficult bane. We know that the RDA guys connive with the road developers in stealing our money. Can this chaina man be arrested please!!!!

  7. RDA WHERE HAVE U BEEN ALL THIS TIME THATS
    WHEN U R REALISING TO TERMINATE THE CONTRACT IS NOT THE SAME CONTRACTOR WHO FAKED THE BONDS.

  8. All Engineers involved in the procurement of this and other suspicious contracts should be fired , it was unfair to dissolve the RDA board leaving the engineers that write recommendations for award of contracts SCOT FREE. The board of directors depend on these lower organs to direct the operation of road contracts, who authorised 15bln advance payment without complete mobilisation and key equipment in place? Who agreed to the fake bonds? all these questions its the engineers who authorised and the board is just informed the status of affairs…so wipe these Guys including LOYCE SAILI.

  9. It is shocking that this story is still making the rounds.This contractor submitted a fake Bond and is believed to have left the country after getting the down payment it is likely that he was working in concert with some MMD cadres.

  10. This is just a cover up, Road construction need alot of money, i am sure they gave them 15 billion to start work, but they did not releasing money for progress. How do you expect the constructor to continue with no funding???

  11. RDA shud be abolished all the *****s are corrupt period. Give road construction and maintenance to the councils, why having many organisations all serving one purpose. Just employ qualified personel in councils because thats the bigest challenge so far. Check the councils and you will be supprised to find that all the school dropouts you know are working for the same with big positions. Have you ever seen a council tresurer with certificate in accounts in a morden world? check the council aduit issues are over and you want to increase CDF, you must be jocking, how can you give such monies to grade 2`s

  12. Betters
    you appear not to have followed this story the Post reported not so long ago that this same constructor had gotten the advanc payment and provided as security a forged or fake Bank Bond.They are gone baba this is the corruption we are against as PF.

  13. L.T. Is this news? Almost all projects have been abandoned. We know PF can only dissolve demote demolish deface detach deduct dismantle disappoint disapprove deny delay disown defer divert destroy distract projects. To imagine that membe is now against Sata? Haughhhh…..

  14. This is poor management of road works at its best…how community monitor the progress instead of RDA …Saili you talking bull Shiiiiiiiiiitttttttttttttttt

  15. Where is Chapwe Tumeo Roads Engineer northern province. The chap as got money as if we never went to the same school Mungwi.

  16. PLEASE… DO NOT FOLLOW THAT MEMBE ***** THING, HE IS A FOOL, WHO THINKS THAT HE CAN MAKE MONEY OUT OF CONFUSION. HE FOOLED HIMSELF BY THINKING THAT HE CAN WORK SATA. SATA ONLY WORKS WITH HIMSELF. BECAUSE HE ALSO DON´T UNDERSTAND HIMSELF, THIS IS WHY HE SAYS THINGS AND ACT DIFFERENT. BOB IS TODAY BLAMING MMD, WHEN WAS SAYING THEY WILL INTRODUCE WIDFAL TAX AND BUILD ALL THE ROADS. TODAY IT IS A DIFFERNT STORY.

  17. Mwine Pabo
    What is the point are you saying he should not have money because you went to the same school?How shallow can some pipo’s thinking be.

  18. #19 Mwine Pabo

    After Mungwi school (I guess secondary school), did you go to university together also, and did engieering too? Even if you did, if you work for different companies, your pay could be different. Even if you worked for the same company, your friend could be rising faster or working harder! LOL!

    Just pulling your leg my dear!

  19. In every country contractors who do not perform have their contracts terminated. This is not the first or the last time this has happened. Those contractors who commit prosecutable offences are arrested and prosecuted and I am sure this will happen to Jiangsu contractor. This has nothing to do with MMD or PF. It is just the nature of the business that some contracts go bad. Of course the consultant on the project will have a lot to explain.

  20. Road works in kabwe stop some 4 months ago when i was in kabwe for short holiday from abroad. can some explain this nonse am reading here in sudan where am currently working with UN.Kabwe residents deserve better roads too.

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