Zambia Railways in need of US$150 million fresh capital

1. That is how the story of bailouts begins. I would love to hear what Chirwa would have to say to this, just to compare notes. By the way, does the extra cash help to rebuild rail tracks where they were stripped, especially small, hapless towns on the Copperbelt and elsewhere?

   • A few months ago when some of us were challenging the progress of the rehabilitation works, I vividly remember some blogger from Canada stating that “uli chipuba Mfumu.” This is where it has led to. Could books at ZR be audited and made available to the public so we see where the $120m has been spent. I will not rush to cry fowl until ZR accounts for that money.
     While at it, what are Atanga’s credentials and track record in managing such a huge engineering project? I await to be ridiculed again.

   • What happened to $750million euro bond? The only work I saw being carried out was putting stones along the rail line. Surely that routine maintenance of replenishing stones can gooble the whole $750million?

     PF will need to explain to the nation how they spent £750million euro bond.

     PF ni ba chimbwi chabe. Farmers, not paid, students no bursary, Soldiers delayed salaries, teachers salaries cut, nurses cheated and fired, cost of living un affordable, unemployment very high, corruption rife, tribalism , cronyism and nepotism rampant, selective justice and violence order of the day.

     Surely come 2016, we need to remove this stupid government and replace it with a UPND party government with sensible people to form a credible government.

   • To be fair I trust this government with every fibre of my being

     We need to give them this money so they continue the good work they have been doing

     Thanks

     MC

   • MMD under Mwanawasa, raised Zambia’s credibility to attract investment and loans from lenders. Its unfortunate that the credit card enhanced by MMD was handed to PF who are now just spending and spending without a concrete plan of how they will pay it back.

     Lenders at the moment are scratching their heads saying hey, why the flipping hell did we lend money to Zambia under PF. Poor them, they wont get anything at all as Zambia will start crying for debt relief by the end of this year.

   • Which institution did Attanga lecture to attain his professorship? Is he a herba professor ?

   • Clive Chirwa’s budget was enough to be funded by the Euro-bond, but that Kabimba’s best friend Atanga is ..
     So dirty guy, both inside and outside

   • NO!!!!, this man must be joking, even saying for purchasing fuel??, oh no, this is robbery, G Pombo is a freeman and its this man to send to prison.I thought he would say 150 Million for changing the rail so we can have electric trains but he nothing at all.Oh my God please see us through with people who have hearts for my country its suffering citizens.

   • Bring back Prof Chriwa! He knew what he was doing and useless cadres started persecuting him over rent.Bring back Prof Chirwa.Zambians derserve better than this current crap!!!

   • Is he not the one who said $120m was enough 6 months ago? How I laughed …..like i have always stated this man has no idea on how to run a business he should have been left behind the desk at the Ministry.

   • BS! Railroads are such lucrative companies, how did ZR tank?

   • Ba PF is this how business is done or its Kubuta as usual .Instead of PF and Sata to attract good investors to revamp capital and Government to remain as share holders. They have decided to borrow Kaloba from Europe to pour in a huge pit.Up to now ZR is not able to stand ion its knees to generate its own income and make profits. This project will fail just like Kaunda’ s ZCCM,INDECO and MINDECO thing. These thieves are using failed projects to in rich themselves through shod contracts.If this is what people who voted for Sata experience ,wisdom and man of action meant then Zambia should be ready to be like Zimbabwe soon.

   • @Nostradamus
     Clive Chirwa is not yet in jail??,,,, Anyway am from taking ubwali ku jele for my presido, ba Mpombo, he is now a lecturer there,,,, tomorrow i will him brief about ZR

   • Prof Clive Chirwa was actually mentioning a figure in billion dollars($bn) to completely revamp ZRL. Let’s just give him the money.

     The objective of revamping the railway line is much more important than the mundane things you small minds keep bringing about individuals. We want the heavy loads moving on our roads to shift to the railway system although some of you charlatan truckers want to sabotage these efforts.

     If we do not invest, let’s not reap.

   • More corruption by Atanga at Zambia railways
     June 20, 2013 | Filed under: Breaking News | Posted by: +

     Dear editor,
     The main talk at Zambia Railways among the oppressed employees is that Muyenga Atanga and his technical director Mwanawina went against the recommendations of the tender committee and want to award contracts to some companies even though they didn’t meet tender criteria that all other companies local and oversees were evaluated against.
     Unfortunately for them (Muyenga and his brother Mwanawina and the companies that gave them kickbacks), a red flag has been raised and Zambia tender board (Chisenda & Co) is currently looking into the issue. This concerns the tender for infrastructure and permanent way. In some instances, some companies did not even bid for all…

2. I think Zambia railways should be given us$5billion so that they but electrical train

   • Ayo ama eolctric trains yakale enda pamusebo? U think eletric trains would rn on those rotten tracks?

3. This is were Joe Imakando, would just say; ” May God deliver you!”.

   • hahahaha… Good one. We are yet to see what it is they have spent the euro-bond on

4. Wait a minute, is this the state of art Train Zambians were promised by this man in the month of October-$150 million request?It has shocked me indeed as per promise!!.

   Just a few years back he was saying that it was enough. Is this a case of poor vision? I think Prof Chirwa, whom they hounded was clear about this. He did say that $120m was not enough and he was going to use the $120m to raise private capital to fix our railyway system. Why can’t this man use the same blueprint Prof Chirwa left. I think to claim that the $120m already invested will go down the drain if no more money is pumped in is a betrayal of highest order.

   This man should be looking for another job.

   By the way show us the state of art Train you promised Zambians last month, at least.

   • Concur, and I don’t normally do that with anything lettered MMD! You comment aptly. It is a betrayal, and another blunt blackmail for funds.

   • EVEN ME I WAS THINKING HE IS HERE IN THE NEWSPAPER TO SHOW US THE STATE-OF-THE-ART TRAINS HE MENTIONED A FEW WEEKS THAT THEY HAVE BOUGHT AND ZAMBIAN WILL SEE THEM I THINK HE SAID JULY OR AUGUST. CAN’T WE FIRST SEE THE NEW MODERN TRAINS BEFORE ASKING FOR MORE MONEY TO WASTE? BUYING FUEL AND REPLACING STONES ON RAIL TRACKS ARE DAILY MAINTENANCE EXPENSES WHICH ZRL SHOULD MEET WITHIN THEIR OPERATIONS. CHIRWA HAD WELL DEFINED PLANS FOR ZRL. BESIDES, CHIRWA HAD OUTSIDE CONTACTS. BUT COS THEY DID NOT WANT TO BE SHAMED BY HIS 3 YEAR PLANS, THEY HOUNDED HIM OUT. ATTANGA, WE DON’T WANT JOKES. SHOW US THE NEW TRAINS, FIRST.

5. Pleas people, kindly help me on this matter our why ZRL does’nt generate revenue to sustain it self. Does it mean the revenue it has been making has always been that of hand to mouth and it cash box is completely empty???

6. My God where are you to allow politicians to loot our so much needed meagre resources? How can prof Atanga and all his conmen finish all the money they were advanced with from the Euro bond without finishing the work and now they are even asking for more. He has even the guts to threaten the govt that if they are not given what they are asking then the little they have done with ZRL will go down the drain. God help us

   • @chiparamba, ATANGA IS NOT A POLITICIAN. PROFESSOR-SHIP IS A UNIVERSITY PROMOTION MAYBE SIMILAR TO DIRECTOR IN A CONVENTIONAL BUSINESS. YOU DIDN’T REACH FAR IN SCHOOL, DID YOU? SO, BEING CALLED A PROFESSOR IS A CLEAR INDICATION THAT AT ONE TIME YOU HAVE BEEN A LECTURER. IN FACT WHEN YOU QUIT LECTURING IT’S AWKWARD TO STILL CALL YOU PROFESSOR. IT’S LIKE WHEN YOU ARE NO LONGER THE DIRECTOR OF A CERTAIN COMPANY AND THEY ARE STILL CALLING YOU DIRECTOR.

7. Don’t give them a cent more until they account for the US$120m. What have they done with it?

8. Wait a minute….what is this guy’s profession….Is he just a political appointee or is he also a transport expert?120mil us is not small change….can he first account for it before he can start begging.can auditors please check how this money has been utilised.

   • He is a political appointee. He has a PhD in Psycology or something and even his Professorship has been questioned as its not supported by publications. At least Chirwa is a mechanical engineer and a meterial sciences expert. Has the man managed any big project in his life before?

9. “This is an example of what can be achieved if Zambians are given a chance”

   The statement above is contrary to the fact that the company is losing money.
   Has all that money gone into capital projects or the major chunk has gone towards running costs?. If the latter, then better revisit the business model. When do you think you will be cash positive (after investing the $150 million). You don’t put good money into bad money (a known business principle). I think that if we have lost $120 million in less than 3 years, 150 million will have been lost by 2016.

   Can you demonstrate that Zambia railways is a viable business in monetary terms and justify the 150 million cash you need before you ask for it. Otherwise it will just be another money sharing scam.

   • @Tutu

     Please don’t paint all Zambians with the same brush. Be very specific and say, this is what Bembas in power can achieve. Reckless spending and thieving thats all those Bembas in government know.

     Mwanawasa, and Banda who were not Bembas did a lot and stabilised the country economy and improved the credit rating. Now Zambia ‘s credit rating under PF is under serious threat.

     Since June Chikwanda has begged and begged but no sucess, because IMF and World bank, have refused to guarantee PF another loan until they produce a credible report of how the money they borrowed was spent.

     Trust a Bemba with money at your peril, more especially government money.

     By 2016, nothing will be left. I hope this happens, so that they have nothing to bribe voters with.

   • THAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE GUYS AND CHIRWA. CHIRWA HAD A TIME FRAME FOR EVERYTHING. HIM HAS NEVER SAID THIS PROJECT WILL COST SO MUCH OVER WHAT TIME. THEY JUST SPEND. ZAMBIANS NEED TO KNOW ALL PUBLIC PROJECT SCOPES AGAINST THE AMOUNT, TIME AND OTHER RESOURCES INVESTED IN THEM. JUST TELLING US THAT US$120M HAS FINISHED AND THEY WANT US$150M MORE IS ABSOLUTE BULLSH!T. EVEN HIS LIPS ARE NOW FAT. HE WENT THERE WITH THIN LIPS. IF YOU COMPARE HIS PREVIOUS LIPS YOU WILL FIND THAT HIS CURRENT LIPS ARE FAT. BANE DON’T PLAY. NO RAIL SYSTEM IN THE WORLD IS LOSS-MAKING. IT’S ONLY ZRL.

10. So they have already burnt through all that eurobond we borrowed for them as Zambians and they want more?

11. Perhaps we are not privileged, but we need to hear your plans as to how this extra investment will be utilized. After listening to your predecessor, we seem to be missing the picture of how this capitalisation you require will look like at the end of the line. Worried that you are hearing stories? Come on be serious; how far is the budget office from the Lusaka railway station?

    • @You and Me; by virtue of us being Zambians and that the money funding this project will ultimately be paid by Zambians, we are party to this whole enterprise. In open societies, such projects call for public participation in debates from inception to implementation. The project plans and route are laid bare for all to see and oppose/support. The public then buys into the works. This is not the case. It would be nice to compare the budget at the out set and how the implementors have faired. That way we know where there has been an over spend and hope to take remedial measures in future. I wonder how much data Dr Atanga would avail us off his cuffs if he were to be asked when not being prompted by his aides?

12. These guys were just after Chirwa’s job and he played right in their hands. These are the factors Chirwa was not very aware of about how things work back home and he made it so easy for them to get him and they did. Chirwa might have been better placed to rescue something out of our ZRL hopeless situation and probably to also deliver the HS2 for Zambia before the UK but now because of vultures we ain’t getting no where.

    • The forces at play in Zambia can be malicious at best, at you know that Dr Wabo. Take Prof Saasa or Mr Mark Chona. One would expect higher integrity standards from such people, who would abhor unwanranted board meetings just for the sake of allownces. Chirwa’s opposition to sunction those allowances set him on a collision course with the baord. Chirwa wasn’t playing ball and so they would in turn oppose his every move. Could we have a progress report. Its such unaccountable expenditure that leads people to suspect that the money was diverted to all these by-election malpractices. Would I be blamed if I made such linkage?

    • You are not to blame in any way. You in fact summarise it better than I do. Saasa and Chona in the same breath would not result in a good recipe. Linking all that to bye-elections amounts to ZERO gain and we are back where we started; Zambia is in the never ending loop. Fresh breed of leadership please!!

13. I expected Mr Msiska or any well meaning Zambian to ask ZRL MD the following Questions:
    1. After making $120M investment into ZRA, what future ‘free cash flows’ should GRZ expect being the major shareholder?
    2. When discounted to the present, taking into account operational risks of ZRL and attendant risks of the debt-portion [$120M Eurobond] of the investment, do the cash flow expectations increase or reduce the market value of ZRA?
    3. Has this investment increased the wealth of its shareholders, in this case GRZ, ie is NPV +/-?
    4. Was the $120M investment decision correct or was funds diverted from ZRL?
    Should the MD fail to provide adequate answers to these questions: in others words should the NPV of ZRL be negative, there is no basis for a further $150m investment cash outlay…

    • with those questions posed.. I doubt if any answers will be given. Just go the Nawakwi way.. True or False and lastly add choose between A and D.. no B and C please

14. 50 years independence and everything goes down the drain.

15. I wonder if the monies (earlier $120 million and the currently requested $150 million) will be paid back by ZR or the Zambian people. And I would say it would only be fair to show how the money has been used to the Zambian people (not just government) before they are given another cent or ngwee. Additionally, they should present to us a plan on how the $150 million will be used so as to enable us measure success or failure in future. A $120 million is a lot of money that would certainly enable all to see what progress has been made in revamping the Railway company. I haven’t seen any myself. May be others have.

    • Darklite ZRL does not recognise ordinary citizens as stake holders. But GRZ represents the interest of the citizens in its investments in ZRL. Thus key financial performance indicators[KFPI} will be availed to citizens only through GRZ.
      Having said that, the key indicator of investment failure or success is the comparative analysis of market value of the company prior to and after the investment. investments’ main goal is to increase market value of firms that undertake them. in other words, investments should increase and not decrease the wealth of shareholders.
      Its critical that these KFPI of ZRL are anlysed, especially with regards to the utility gained from the depleted $120M Eurobond, before committing further cash outlays [$150M] to the same.

16. If a young couple fails to have a child in a two bedroom house, do you think they have a valid point to say they (the couple) would bear a child if they moved to a four bedroom house?

    Mr Chief executive If you can’t make money using 120 million, why do you think you will start making money after the 150 million cash injection?

    • @TUTU, I LIKE YOUR EXAMPLE OF A YOUNG COUPLE. IT’S THE SAME AS THINKING THAT IF THE MEDICAL AUTHORITY ASSIGN TEN DOCTORS TO A PREGNANT WOMAN SHE’S GONNA GIVE BIRTH IN HALF TIME THE NORMAL PREGNANCY PERIOD- SAY IN FOUR MONTHS OR LESS.

      PLEASE, WE WANT CHIRWA BACK. CHIRWA EVEN HAD PLANS TO START DESIGNING AND MANUFACTURING TRAINS IN KABWE. AND YET THE ONLY THING THIS ATANGA GUY HAS MANAGED IS TO MOVE ZRL HEAD OFFICE TO LUSAKA. WHAT A STUP!D MOVE!

17. the simple truth is that ZR is not profitable. It will continue gabbling the few resources in govt coffers. The earlier you realize the better. I have always said prof Chirwa’s plan for ZR can work in a bigger economy. Zambia’s economy CANNOT support this kind on investment in “super trains”

18. Wenzelu. I’m a very proud Bemba in everything what I strongly disagree with you the tribal drive negativity propaganda stereotype driven by you that all Bemba are same. There are many Bembas who have served this great nation with diligence and dedication. The same person you insult and claim is died in July Sata. Every ministry he ran was a shining example. Cooperate Mwansa at ZRA , Musonda at ZESCO and they left with their hands not oiled. Many Bembas have served in high govt position but Northern / muchinga provinces are second least developed followed by Western province. Lima and Roan mine were sold by HH and got more money could anyone normal state that Tongas are crooks not at all. Wenzelu you grew up possibly in a village where you hail from if It were CB 98.9% speak Bemba.

    • @Pafwenamwine: As a ‘proud Bemba,’ would you say you are proud of the legacies that were left by Kenneth Kaunda and Frederick Chiluba, both of them Bembas and northerners?

    • @Pefwenamwine you are so dull .wanzelu did not say you as an individual you are a thief.He said Bembas in general are thiefs.He was looking at the central tendancy.Its is true that most Bembas are thiefs .There are facts that points to this accusation.If you look at convicted high ranking Government Officials Bembas top the list.Do research why they are exhibiting such traits and let as Know.Is it why many of them are in politics because there is easy money to deep there fingers.I for my mother is Bemba and she has said it that Bembas are very fast in doing things they don’t care its short cut they are using.HH never worked in Government to steal he was simply given the Job to evaluate it up to Sata and his president Chiluba to sell or not.

    • @Pafwenamwine

      I agree with you that there are many good Bembas out there and I have met them myself.

      However those in UNIP,MMD and now in PF are proper thieves, no doubt about that.
      During Kaunda, they wrecked the economy through stealing. In MMD , they stole 100 times more than they did in UNIP. But under Mwanawasa, and Banda, they were hugely frustrated such that it was difficult for them to steal and this explains why the two leaders were despised by Bembas for being too tight.

      Now under PF, they are having a field day . They are busy forming proxy companies which supply goods and services including training without following the tendering process. Its through such companies that others have amasses a lot of money for selling air to government.

19. “To meet obligations such as purchase fuel”? I thought that is suppose to be from the revenue generated by the company. That’s why this thing needs to be in private hands in order to have any hope of it doing well.

20. All these guys at ZRL are just play boys attanga and his DF elijah some of us know them busy looking for money for girlfriends why do they go with them to there meetings busy eating the money check were his DF is coming from was chased from ZAFFCO for the some playing ask ZAFFCO they will tall you about elijah and check were attanga is coming from no CV.panga family at work but one day one will have to ans were the money has gone some way there friends are in court.

21. Ladies and gentlemen, let us be sober and critically analyse this news. ZR was none performing rail company since the mines troubles 1990s. No investments since UNIP times it money from cargos/ passengers to salaries. Levy tried and came up with concession company that shredded the company to bits. Selling company assets with impunity to raise the capital and never achieved anything. The coming of nice and fast buses generally was a nail in the coffin/ trucks which were capable of transportating minerals or cargo within few days. The train from kitwe to Lusaka 9 to 10 hrs buses 3/4 hrs . The rail line and trains were completely out dated/ damaged. ZR will need more investment to be at the level to compete with other transporters.

    • Paf*****ne; agree the need for critical analysis. Disagree that ZR needs further investment; what is the basis of your opinion? critical analysis reflects:
      * current carriage turnover of ZR: does this help meet financial targets? **If not what turnover figures required to meet obligations and Targets. What total investment is required to attain this output efficiently? what is the deficit or surplus from the investment cash outlay of $120M. ***With this outlay[$120M] what changes in ‘free cash flows’ [net income] capital suppliers [GRZ] expect from ZR, as result of increased output, in Year1/2/3/4… etc, to justify the investment decision? **** If discounted to present value, these expected cash flows not increasing ZR’s market value, how will you justify further investment outlays?

22. One would expect Atanga to say ZRA has a business plan which requires $150m cappex/opex funding. But No. All he knows is he needs $150m coz the S##**T has hit the fan.

23. running blindly is what antanga did. how can u only realize that u need more money aftr consuming 120???? u shuld have seen it earlier bwana. and when clive chirwa had innovative plans we were blinded by some baseless political scam…… chirwa has achieved more than zambia as a whole has and all we could do is think he wanted to swindle out cash… think again antanga and account for that money u have misused

    • Atanga walked into a building that was already on fire. Someone else had already determined that $120 million was all that it was going to take to revamp ZRL.

24. Zoona ati social media, it seems most people commenting are thousands of miles from here, LMHO

25. I would suggest that we break the management of the tracks with associated infrastructure and rolling stock into two separate entities the way the railway system in Britain has been setup. The rolling stock can be francised to private companies who will then pay to the government for the francise and use of the tracks. Zambia Railways should be given the sole responsibility of managing the tracks. The current model is pre-indepenence days and is simply outdated and not fit for purpose.

26. The whole idea of revamping ZRL was PF’s. They ought to have sat down to count the cost before jumping into it. Did they do so?

27. Comrades – Get rid of Parastatals they are drain on public coffers!. the US$ 150 m CEO is asking for is better invested in paying for unza students.

    if ZR was private company this CEO would have been dismissed immediately he opened his mouth!!!for neglecting his duties & Squandering US$120Million on non value add activities. It goes without saying that he was supposed to have used US$120m to restore the company to profitability and declaring dividends to shareholders or alternatively use it prudently to raise the shortfall to move the ZR to Profitability. Give him US$150m-i can bet you, he will later ask for us$500m

    These parastatals are failed communist experiments – Comrades ABASH ZR CEO

28. $120m budget
    $35m–allowances for the board and management
    $3m–commission to Ilunda Chalo
    $2m–commission to Sata and family
    $18m–purchase of 30 boxcars although the cost is really under $1m
    $62m– “renovating” the rail tracks by putting stones from Lusaka to Kabwe

29. was moving the HQ a priority in getting ZR back on track??? This is what Chirwa was hounded out for!! It’s shocking to hear Sec to Cab praising a non-priority move, actually a retrogressive move!

30. It’s Called “THE P.F. GRAVY TRAIN”
    This Z.R Scam, will make the ZAMTROP Shenanigans look like a Children’s Picnics.
    I REST MY CASE!!

    • Should read “Like a Children’s Picnic”

31. INDECO. This is how you were going to run it.

32. … but what happened to having a functioning rail line by end of Sept 2014? Didn’t this man promise that?
    Also, I think it is folly to manage a project as HUGE as this and not have a backout plan, a contingency. I would think that he would do things in stages, i.e. get the rail line between Lusaka and ‘stone working, let it start raising money so that it sustains itself. Then look at other sections, i.e. buy more wagons as demand increases.
    But alas, we are poor, so we try things hoping to fail and then ask for handouts.

    #ThisIsWhyWeArePoor – even after 50 years!
    #OneZambia

33. MMD and UPND MPs are useless as well. Why have they not forced for an audit and public showing of where the money has vanished to? It should be published on television for all to see. Zambia railways is a government owned entity, so all Zambians are privy to their records.

    • THOSE ARE BUSY DEBATING SATA’S ILLNESS. THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN MONITORING PROJECTS. ALAS, THEY ARE ALL HEADLESS CHICKENS.

    • Nothing they can achieve until freedom of information bill becomes law.

34. This so called professor should have come up with a plan that would have worked out of the $180,000,000.00 he has spent so far. This man to be fairly honest was totally a wrong chap to run this firm considering his thieving background. That investment should have then been able to make profit to finance the buying of fuel which he claims requires boma to borrow an extra $150,000,000.00 just for him and his cronies to pocket. This Atanga chap must know that Zambians will not accept this kind of stupidity and he should know by now that he will end up in Chimbokaila

    This is 3 years down the line and these chaps just want to continue spending and spending without telling us how much they are making in return. Can someone fire this bugger so that the job is advertised to the whole wide…

35. Atanga is not the right man for the task of revamping ZR. The targets he has set for himself can be achieved with little or no effort. Read the mission and vision on ZR’s website; you will be disappointed.

    ZR needs a good Chief Executive urgently.

36. Honestry what have we done as a country to deserve this kind of rubbish its like its free for all in zambia.No body cares awe sure.

37. The CEO needs to show us the strategic plan (at minimum a 10 year plan). The Country cannot afford another wasteful parastatal. What’s worrying is the following excerpt;

    “…Professor Atanga however observed that US$150 million will be adequate to carry out further rehabilitation works on its network and meant obligations such as the purchase of fuel…”

    Purchase of fuel (consumption)? In other words, the company cannot even fund its day to day operations without any Government assistance. Time to privatize or at least consider partnering with the private sector (Joint Public/Private Sector project – Japan is a good example).

38. where did the $120 m go Sir?

39. @ Wanzelu. My brother, I cant really understand this pathological hate you harbour for bembas and I truly hope its not shared by other UPND supporters. Firstly, all you are doing is shoot yourself in the foot because like it or not, Zambia’s demographics will tell you that HH will need a massive bemba vote to get to plot one. Calling them kolwestans, thieves etc only serves to alienate or scare away even the moderates who may be sympathetic to your cause. Remember when push comes to shove, choices tend to get obvious. Debate issues with sobriety and avoid fanning tribal sentiments.

    • JUST LEAVE THEM- THEY WILL GO TO PLOT 1 ON A TRIBAL TICKET. THIS TRIBAL AND RACIAL ATTITUDES BROUGHT ABOUT BY HH WILL COMPLETELY BURY SOME TRIBES FROM LEADERSHIP. DON’T GET ME WRONG- I AM NOT TRIBAL. BUT, EVEN IF I WEREN’T BEMBA (THAT IS IF I AM BEMBA AT ALL), I WOULDN’T VOTE FOR A TRIBAL PARTY, BECAUSE THAT IS CIVIL WAR IN THE MAKING. ZAMBIANS MUST BE CAREFUL ABOUT THEIR TRIBAL SENTIMENTS. WHY CAN’T WE JUST DISCUSS THE ISSUE AT HAND?

    • “..a massive Bemba vote..” for a non-Bemba will be a miracle. With some education, we can learn not to vote along tribal lines. Bembas and Tongas still appear the most determined to remain tribal in their voting!

    • President Sata who ran four times for the office, before finally making it, will tell you that the “massive Bemba vote” is not as magical as it sounds. He learnt it the hard way. He finally convinced himself to swallow his Bemba pride and went flat out to canvass for votes across the whole country. That’s what produced the magic for him, effectively beating RB at the game.

    • Under the 50% + 1 the “massive Bemba vote” will even become less of a factor. Bemba itself is a conglomerate of tribes, not a single giant homogeneous tribe. This makes it fragile; as has been the case in the Bemba/Bisa stand-off!

40. On 2 April 2014 Atanga was quoted saying the $120 million obtained from Euro bond is safe. This is six months later and the money is gone?

    What good works has ZR achieved? Let us be serious Prof! We all support the effort govt is making but demonstrate that you have the capacity and expertise to spend the funds or else all the money will surely go in the drain due to lack of proper implementation and management plan.

41. Prof Clive Chirwa was actually mentioning a figure in billion dollars($bn) to completely revamp ZRL. Let’s just give him the money.

    The objective of revamping the railway line is much more important than the mundane things you small minds keep bringing about individuals. We want the heavy loads moving on our roads to shift to the railway system although some of you charlatan truckers want to sabotage these efforts.

    If we do not invest, let’s not reap.

    • YAH! HE WAS BEING FRANK WHILE ATANGA WAS TRYING TO PLEASE CERTAIN QUARTERS. CHIRWAS WAS EVEN MENTIONING THE TIME FRAME. IF CHIRWA WERE THERE HE WOULD HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR A BILLION US DOLLARS OR SO. INSTEAD OF LYING. AND IN 1BILLION THERE WERE MANY THINGS CHIRWA MENTIONED EVEN EXEMPLIFIED BY DRAWINGS AND OTHER SPECIFICS. AND IT WAS CONVINCING. PLEASE, BRING CHIRWA BACK AND GIVE HIM ONE BILLION USD.

42. What do you expect? Problems can not be solved by the same level of thinking that created them. These brains are tired and throwing more money at them is like throwing money in the abyss.

    • Absolutely spot on!!

43. Sido Mark, you can call me dull but I find your behaviour and contributions that of a bush product/childish. Do you mean Wenzelu is right to call Bembas names? Its purely an insane person who can support this. Wenzelu responded positive as he is aware we are one regardless of tribes. Some of the bemba names are found in north western, Luapuala, Northern,Muchinga CB and Zaire(Congo. Similarly people who speak bemba or steal are generally not decent Bembas. Chiluba, chibwe, Kalumba, Chinyanta are lunda speaking people but they speak bemba so does this mean if they steal are bembas? Kaluba, Kabwe , kanyanta ,chilumba are bemba names but intermarriages and so forth have influence on the tribes and this is good for the nation. Atanga is not bemba. Late Chiluba is not bemba neither KK or Sata.

44. Ubwafya Ba Atanga is a liar to be entrusted with such a corporate responsibility.
    His qualifications: BSc – Mineral Sciences (unza), MBA (CBU – learning at the distance), PhD???
    He has always lied that he graduated from Harvard. Atanga going to Harvard for a seminar/workshop does not equal you a Harvard graduate.

    Atanga has never implemented projects of heavy industrial measure. for all we know is that he has supervised final year undergraduate projects in agribusiness at school of agriculture -unza, where he taught as a part-time tutor.

45. The question is are you guys living in Zambia seeing Zambia Railways improving?

46. Mei Matungu I dont know which School or history you learnt or taught about where Dr Kenneth Kaunda hailed from neither the late Dr Fredrick Chiluba. First Dr Kaunda’s parents came from Malawi as missionaries and settled at Lubwa Missionary in Chinsali district now Provincial HQs for Muchinga Province. One Kamuzu Banda said during independence celebration’ I’m glad my son has sent someone to celebrate independence with us.’ Dr Chiluba is from Musangu village in Luapula and grow up in CB. Dr Chiluba ‘s history is well documented just as Dr Kaunda.Kaunda did alot to the Country and in helping other countries to gain their independence. Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Angola and we are happy for his support. Chiluba tried by transforming the transport sector and failed in…

    • I am aware of what you are talking about. Born at Lubwa Mission in Chinsali district, Dr. Kaunda is effectively a northerner. Equally so, the people of Luapula, Northern and Muchinga provinces are all effectively “northerners.” They constitute the all-powerful Bemba Conglomerate that had dominated Zambian politics since independence. Whether one is originally from “Malawi,” “Tanzania,” or “Congo DRC,” is besides the point. Everyone in Zambia is originally from somewhere else. Some merely arrived earlier than others.

    • Outside the Bemba Conglomerate of Muchinga, Northern and Luapula provinces, the highly outspoken about giant Bemba tribe is a fiction, merely a figment of imagination. It doesn’t exist.

47. Mei muntunga, surely there is some defect in your understanding if you are born in western province this does not mean you are lozi or mbunda. Just as speaking English language does not make you English. Your understanding is below par. Chiluba or Kaunda are not Bembas period and there is no such a thing as luapula,Northern and muchinga provinces being together or dominating politics. If that is a case as by your understanding, then they may have been very good at reaching out others and believe in living side by side in love, peace and harmony . It’s entirely upto those who have failed to co-work with others find it hard to dominate politics

    • @Pafwenamwine: From your point of view then, Kaunda is not Bemba, Chiluba is not Bemba, Sata is not Bemba etc. Any wonder I say that Bemba tribe is a fiction! Outside of the lingua franca that is spoken by most of the tribes in Muchinga, Northern and Luapula provinces, Bemba as a political base is indistinguishable. It’s the collection of all those tribes that constitute the Bemba political base. Otherwise, which is Kenneth Kaunda’s tribe in Northern Province?

48. …..the man did not mince his words when he said…. ‘Zambians will be surprised how ZR will turn around with state of art bla bla in few weeks time’…..not only were we going to be surprised but also we going to be shocked if it had to happen….

    • @Scrutinizerer

      I am glad that at least one person has remembered what this hopeless guy had said a few months ago. Was he making empty promises not knowing where the funding was coming from and obviously without any plans on how the money shall be utilized. I have always pointed out that this is the same man that nearly had the Nchanga Underground mine prematurely declared exhausted because of very shoddy mine management. How then can PF see him as a saviour to correct the ills at ZR, after they fired Prof. Chirwa for political reasons? Political appointments in these strategic industries will only be to the detriment of our country. Wake up Zambians!

49. This man is joking, he must account for the $120m first before crying for some more money, By the the way, what are his credentials in the transport industry and engineering? It is like he is excited with the dollars he is being given. So far we can not see anything tangible he has done in ZR to point at.

50. A person with a vision would have used the available money sparingly. If ZR thinks it has to run like the defunct ZCCM and other statutory companies during UNIP, then they better privatise it again. I have supported Sata for capital investment he has rolled out countrywide, but if this report is true, he better replace Atanga before it is too late.

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