Lusaka Province Minister Obvious Mwaliteta is upset that Avic International, the contractor working on the L400 road project in Lusaka has abandoned the project.
Mr Mwaliteta has since challenged Avic International to sub-contract local contractors if it has failed to complete the works.In an interview, Mr. Mwaliteta said Government is concerned with the slow pace at which works are progressing on the L400 so far.
‘AVIC, is letting us down and as government we are running of of patience. That road cannot take us this long. We need to look into that contract,’ Mr Mwaliteta said.
He added, ‘If AVIC has no capacity, let him sub contract Zambian contractors to help speed up the works. I think on L400, they have only done less than 100 KM from the time it was launched and this is two years down the line.’
Mr Mwaliteta said, ‘Not much progress is being seen. If you go Burma and Chilimbulu road, it is the same, the way they left it. For me as Lusaka Province Minister, am looking into that because we don’t have time. We need to raise the tempo of infrastructure development.’
The PF Government launched the L 400 road project on 16th August 2013 which was expected to see 400 kilometres of urban roads worked on in various townships and compounds at a cost of US$348.8 million.
The L400 project includes improvement of various roads in various residential, light industrial and industrial areas of Lusaka City such as Kabanana, Chalala, Kamwala South, Chilenje South, Avondale, Kabwata Site and Service, Chazanga, Kamanga, Chinika Area, Bauleni, Northmead, Matero, Chawama, Lilanda, Chilulu, Ngombe, Kaunda Square, Kalingalinga and Mtendere among others.
Take them to court for failing to meet their contractual obligation.
Mr minister, you are very well aware why they have abandoned the projects….. You have not paid them!!! I’m sure you have access to the contractor contact details and you could have spoken to them before rushing to the media…. PAY THEM!!!
…Mwaliteta just shut up!! You know that you paid in advance. Thye have bought themselves range rovers etc, where do you think they will get money to pay the subcontractors.
Just go to Kafue and start campaigning for 2016. I can assure you that you will not have it easy!!! Kuya bebebele
Minister Mwlaiteta, please tell us how much has already been paid, when was the last payment made? Otherwise, it is very difficult for us not to think that the works have been abandoned because GRZ has not been honouring the stage payment certificates…. I say this because it not only in Lusaka where works have been abandoned, come to the Copperbelt and you will find lots of incomplete projects, all becasue of non-payment of dues by GRZ!
why is he passing the buck when he is fully aware that GRZ is broke
Lets be honest and behave as leaders,i think the delay in roads has something to do with payments,country wide road projects have ground to a halt,because of the implementation at the end of the day RDA will just be giving out contracts on paper but when they know that there is no money in their coffers.
PF was Sata and Sata was PF. Sata at the peak of his health could not have tolerated the way the current road construction is being executed. He transformed LUDC when everybody said the country was broke. The Great East RD railway crossing was a death trap when ZR was active. It is not clear how it was financed but suffice to say that KK refused to attend its commissioning because Sata had joined the MMD. As Health Minister he could not accept patients going hungry due to lack of funds according to Dr Katema. For the life of me I cannot imagine ba ECL taking ABC to task for not funding road construction. God in his own infinite wisdom decided to take a leader capable of infrastructure development. Not like some leaders who allegedly import oil which disappears into thin air.
There is so much hullalabaloo when these road projects are commissioned. Only to see the projects abandoned a few months down the line!!!! Cry my beloved Zambia
The projects are delayed because Willy Nsanda is currently enjoying very poor health.
Zambia is just a joke. It is as if we must only work when there is an election coming or when there is a whip above our heads. And when competent hardworking non-Zambians come to help we start whining and grumbling. What a mess! Stop using pathetic excuses and address your own incompetence. Pay the guys, and have them use competent dedicated workers, local or otherwise.