Government has given the Chinese firm constructing an ultra modern stadium in Ndola a go ahead to import 1600 tonnes of cement for the foundation stage.
Statehouse Special assistant to the President on Policy Implementation and Monitoring (PIM), Ben Kapita gave the go ahead yesterday when he toured the construction site in Ndola.
Mr Kapita who is in the Province to inspect projects being carried out however stressed that there is need for the Chinese firm to buy locally produced cement after the initial foundation stage was completed.
The President’s special assistant said he was pleased with the progress of the works at the site.
He further said he was impressed with the equipment and machinery that was on site for construction works.
Mr Kapita also revealed that he was going to call Lafarge to a meeting to find out if it was true that their cement was not of the standard required by the Chinese constructors.
He added that Zambia bureau of standards must also explain why Lafarge is allegedly producing low quality cement.
And speaking earlier Ndola stadium project Manager Yao Huaifa told the delegation that the construction firm had decided to import about 1,600 tonnes out of the total 30,000 tonnes for the foundation stage because the Zambian produced cement could not meet the requirements for the project.
He explained that the stability and strength of the Lafarge cement was bad and that his company had already informed Lafarge about the development and advised them to improve the quality of their cement.
He hinted that his company was willing to buy the balance of the 30, 000 tonnes of cement from Lafarge if it improved its quality.
He explained that the decision to resort to importing 1, 600 tonnes was because the firm wanted to finish the foundation stage before the onset of the rains.
Mr Huaifa said his company would wait for Lafarge to improve its quality to buy the remaining required cement.
ZANIS
This is very disturbing indeed. How can the cement produced at chilanga now be of low quality? Investigate these chineese at Lafarge and they should stop this tradition of producing low standard goods. Nomba batolokela nakuli cement. Awemwe,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Gentlemen,a simple search on the internet will show the credentials of lafarge,so lets not even start doubting the quality of their cement.The same chilanga cement built the kariba dam, built the independence stadium i believe..how could it be of low quality now? Remember when there was a cement shortage?? It was attributed to rehabilitation of chilanga works,construction of lumwana and..yes supply to south africa to meet demand for construction works there,which i believe would include stadia. So GRZ just tell us that there was a ka clause in the contract saying……
First. But ok, whatever happened to our very own cement producing companies? The chinese say the local cement was bad quality, then they say they wait to buy the remainder from Lafarge if and when the company improves it’s product? What the hell? You mean to tell me, we can’t even produce decent quality cement in Zambia today? The so called investors even have to import cement? Come on people, something is not right here. Think about how much revenue this project would generate…and I these chinese mambalas are hiring locals too. Kupusa ma choncholi ala.
Hmmmmm……………..Somebody has dementia in state house,Chilanga Cement has a proven track record,just what is happening mu Zambwa kansi?
…so if we look at the way the cement will leave whichever factory in china up to the friendly city of ndola,checking all papers,shipping,transportation……..i know the buck will stop at # 1 independence ave. Lusaka!
Is the Monkey’s urine so powerfull that it damages brain cells?
#2 YES! Since when did chilanga cement now Lafarge not produce quality cement? Lafarge Cement Zambia PLC has an annual capacity of 200,000 tons. And just so you know, the Ndola Plant is a dry process plant with a capacity of 450,000 tons per year. The Company owns 14% of Mbeya Cement Company Limited. Regardless of what it’s now called, this is the same company that produced the same cement used to build notable Zambian infra structures which still stand today. I bet you if you investigated the company that these Chinese imported the initial 1,600 tons of cement, you will more than likely find that they have ties. This truely undermines the whole purpose of having foreign investors come to Zambia with hopes of creating jobs while improving the local economy. Why does GRZ fall for this?
it’s called a KICKBACK!
Ba Kapita banaba cekela kudala.
Ba LT how about some pictures on the progress of the stadium on your weekemd or week pictures
It works in a very simple way. the contractor says “if you buy from my friend, we can chew together”. so the official gives the go-ahead and they are rewarded.
I wouldn’t be too quick to criticise the Chinese on this one, they may just be right about the quality of Zambian cement. If you compare some Zambian biuldings with some ancient European structures, the European ones still look more stable although they’re 200-300 years old while the Zambian biuldings constructed not more than 50 years ago are falling apart in fragments.
If this is a business arrangement, why is Sate House involved. What we want is good quality infrastructure. Let Structural engineers and other civil engineers have the final say. And please let Chilanga defend themselves. You cannot fake quality. Subject the two cements for tests.
It doesnt matter if Chilinga has supplied all the cement in the past. Building technologies change. May be teh Chinese are using latest technologies. In any case let Zambia Bureau of Standards assess teh two cements and chose the one fit for purpose.
#8 ….a “kickback’ at the locals’ expense right? # 11 you are right. These politicains are getting the chunk of these kickbacks while the poor the tax payers continue to suffer. This is the same bull$hit we saw under FTJs’ rule. We can’t allow this kind of politics to continue in Zambia…and yes, it is politics! It’s stories like these that just make it even less likely that Zambians abroad will return any time soon. # 12, this is a major project and not some back yard construction. Am sure you understand that! # 13, you do have a valid point there. The government involvement is what is making me uneasy about this whole thing. If a cabinet minister can go on record and even approve import of foreign product for a construction project, what does that say
Stupid fools what do they mean “poor standards” Lafarge is using Zambian cement to do construction projects in readiness for the World cup 2010,they are trying to undermine our industries,furthermore haven’t you heard that Chinese buildings are not safe!!!!!!!!!look at how many people have died in their buildings,how much did they pay our Ministers?I can not imagine why else the Chinese would want their cement and our Dumb-As* ministers approve this is Stupid,stupid stupid policy,Ben Kapita Zambian cement is of high standard..Should anything happen to the people you (MMD) shall be held responsible mark my words…
Quality of cement is a straightforward technical issue. It can easily be measured. Let the bureau of Standards test and pronounce if cement produced at the moment by Chilanga cement (sold to Lafarge) meets the requirements for the design the chinese have.
#12 Nine chali….you are loved by many please check BAMUKUKULU…..STOP CORRUPTION on you tube…you will have a good laugh…
For your information, Chilanga Cement is one of the best cements in the region, cement companies in South Africa import more than 30% of limestone from Zambia!!!!!!! Since Zambians are dumb, any one from anywhere can do or say whatever they want!!!
Hola #17 supergirl, yes I’ve seen that clip on youtube – insanely humorous!
People, A blanket statement that the cement is not bad is so simplitict.
Let the Chinese say what the real issues.
CASH CASH & CASH
Anyway, we badly need a stadium, i wouldnt want to anatgonise the chinese at this stage. Its clear, they are lying but what negotiating power do we have. balefileka!
i am shocked, a Chinese talking about quality? so strange mwe! No.21 Jutus…wanisekesa, @ “balefileka!” – chachine negotiating power tapaba…ala bwafya!!
#18 Tonga Bull, I just read on those statics as well and the truth is plain and simple. Is it really because the people are so dumb or because they just don’t know how to handle business the right way? So, if I went to state house today and told our president that I have a brilliant idea of re-designing state house and make it look more mordern. I have a team of interior and exterior designers and architectures that will do the job. The bill is around 10 million USD and oh by the way, the “team’ am using are all from outside of Zambia because the local talent is under developed (basically they wouldn’t know what the hell they’ll be doing). I bet you, our government will more than likely buy into this. Hmm, I think I just got an idea….k’ching! Buti ba nga gulise boma ba mbala aba…
For years we couldn’t build a stadium by ourselves. Bikering about how it should be done won’t take us anywhere. We can say the Chinese make cheap products but they sure can build (Re: Olympics). How ever they choose to do it as long as we get a world class stadia in the end I’m cool.
Am getting suspicious all stories are posted by government institutions, is this website sponsored by shushushu? Now to the government, send samples to Unza to see who is telling the truth. Chinese like South African companies are crooks
Chinese investors have poured billions of dollars in investments and aid but few Zambians have seen any benefits. If you can figure out why? then you will understand why many billions have left so many people poor. The entire southern Africa’ s cement is below standard, or is there a catch somewhere? You be the judge.
This contract or project has all the signs of something not being right either way you look at it. @# 24, I’d much rather they were building a university, hospital or houses for that matter and not some freaking stadium. To hell with it, to hell with the Chinese, to hell with Mr. Kapita, to hell with MMD and last but not least, to hell with RB. This government has got to be the worst so far. They’re not even ashamed of doing the things they do. I mean, where is their sense of pride when it comes to governing ZAMBIA? @ # 25, to hell with all of them…they all freaking greedy worthless pieces of sh!t. Bastards!
Chilanga Cement Built the Kariba Dam, way back in the 50s-60s. Dam construction needs very, very, very low heat emiting cement/concrete, than a simple stadium that will seat only 40,000 fans once in a while. Because the mass involved in a dam is much much larger than any mass on a stadium, so the heat emitted when constructing a dam is a million times higher than that of a stadium. I write this as an Architect. Let any chinese contractor at the Ndola stadium challenge me on this ne and expalin why cement from Zambia cannot build those small foundations at that small stadium. Which foundations need more specialised Cement? a Stadium or a Dam. Twayamba ukunaka naimwe, bashinga manyela. Mulemona ati limbi tatwa kupukula ifitabo?
No 26, they can’t be ashamed if they don’t know that they are doing the wrong things. Personally, I only respect Rupaih Banda’s Government for one thing. Ruling a country from ignorance.
Sorry, I meant to say No 27.
OH mother Zambia what has befallen you! even after 45years you can not produce your own cement, yet you have chilanga which still remains of poorquality, you can not use your own you choose to import even though you have no money, what a shame to our leaders
#29 they obviously know what they’re doing…they just don’t give a crap, in my opinion. IGNORANCE is not an excuse my friend. They are pockecting money somewhere, you better believe that. 2011, these knuckleheads got to GO. No more foolishness.
#16, You are very right – I am appalled by the absence of technical minds here. This is a purely technical issue. An accusation of this nature can have serious consequences. Lafarge is a world renowned Company. If the Chinese contractors are telling lies, then I expect legal action from Lafarge. By the way, Chilanga Cement and Lafarge are two different companies. It is possible that the quality was deliberately downgraded for profitability. Let the Contractors show the data and Lafarge should defend their position. Remember those years Zambia Sugar was selling Brown Sugar only on the local market and exporting White Spoon Sugar ? (forget the nutritional facts)
Gentlemen,The new Lafarge Plant was cobnstructed by the Chinese..So its either Lafarge was Gong’adi or that Chinese company building the stadium just wants to give business to his fellow choncholi..period
If (i) this stadium is a donation (ii) no Zambian taxpayer money will go into the project (iii) There will be a safe stadium and (iv) it is environmentally friendly, then there is no harm if they don’t buy Chilanga cement. Lets be real guys.
It is really sad that a country independent as it is can fail to build its own infrastructure after 45 years. we have trained Engineers, architect , bricklayers etc but where is the practice of their knowledge nobody knows all has remained in the head non is exposed to the hands. just the UNZA bridge was very difficult project such that it took almost 3 years to complete. now here comes somebody from China and makes a suggestion that your cement is bad, what do you expect? do you expect our engineers to say no without even verifying scientifically which they can’t do. YES the Chinese decision to buy cement is a business decision because it is a lot cheaper to buy cement from China than locally. moreover when did they (zambian engineers) test the quality of chilanga. # 12 you are right
standards i think we should ask the GRZ to late us bring in our own machine. we buy there machines and we do all the work.
If South Africa can import cement from Lafarge for the construction of world class stadiums, who are these minute Chinese engineers to say its of low quality. To begin with, they (Chinese) knew off this project a long time and one would expect that during the feasibility study quantifying/sourcing of material to be used on the project was carried out. Elo lelo atu bantu utwipi namenso ayaisalika ati Lafarge cement is of poor quality??? Utubwa utu.
its called kickbacks. Lafarge in my opinion has every right to sue these bastards for denting the name of Lafarge, i’d suggest Lafarge drags these wankers to court and have the court order this chinese ***** to buy all the required cement from Lafarge and lets see what will happen to the stadium.
Lafarge cement is literally the best in Southern Africa and most of the infrastructure being built now is the world cup in SA was built using Lafarge.
Kapita, with your acknowledgement for this little chinese man to import cement you have simply shown the chinese that they can lie to us and we’ll buy their crap.
you headless chicken
#25 you are right, LT has been compromised and taken over by OP special branch (shushushus)
just be happy ..the chinese will deliver the stadium. whether cement is from satas farm or hell whats the matter with poor zambians. A nation that cant a stadium from own money! shame! The only thing you know is lying and dreaming.
I find this very difficult to believe. If someone told me PF/UPND will win the 2011 election, I would easily belive but this lafarge nosense? Lafarge cement is the best in the region…
Ladies & Gents, please do research on types of cement…..and come back to us!
Honestly the Cement quality is bad, remeber the Chinese building Levy bridge, they had the same complaint. Find out what cement oriental make and get back to us. those of you who disagree.
And why is Lafarge quite about it. Would the Chinese be lying to say they have advised Lafarge to improve?
a bad carpenter always condemn his tools.
but also on the other side of the coin ,let them import and build the stadium fullstop.
let us not be negative all the time.
Can some one explain why Lafarge is producing low garde cement. I remember Chilanga cement then used to produce portland cement and at a later stage they came up with Mphavu during the mid 90’s which i made to believe was meant for block making as then it was booming. From that time all we see and buy is Mphavu brand. The same happened when the Chinese were constructing Levy Mwanawasa bridge across Luapula river, cement of a certain had to imported from Tanzania. This man Ben Kapita just jumps out of his wheel and chair and grants permission to import cement from China yet the project manager failed to respond to Dr. Masamba (NCC) boss on the subject. How do you deny own country business and jobs.
I understand on speacial order Lafarge does produce the type of cement they want like they do for Infraset which uses it for railway sleepers. They just want the money to go back to china chapwa. And Kapita how do you give a permit before you ask Lafarge? We need to learn to keep money in Zambia. The govt talks of single digit inflation yet they are entertaining capital flight. We need people who are capable of making bald decisions to run this country.
So far nothing sensible is coming out of Zambia nowadays!! Politically, Business wise, Socially etc!!! What a pity! maybe s e x u a l l y
Now this is my area of comfort. This is certainly a business decision , the chinese have made a decision to import the cement because it makes business sense. As for the issue of quality , it is likely that the specs of cement that the chinese contractor prefers is not what Lafarge produces or simply that thae want to cut costs. You should also understand that the engineers that will plan this buiding are probably used to utilising cement that is produced in China. I must also add that c China presently has a very large and growing construction industry aaaaas such you would expect that they have made great strides in theqquality of their cement.
Let me also add that closer home. Most zambian contractors ony want Chilanga cement ( as they call it)because that is what they are accustomed to. When we had a shortage a few years ago, OUR bereau of standards passed the imported cement as being of good quality but local contractors also rejected it saying it was of inferior quality. As for Government, they want the project to be concluded on schedule so I dont see why they should stop the imports unless they want to prop up Lafarge and the other company sirroco. This would have its benefits ( surporting local industy) but this will be done at a cost of the construction plan
Taking mediocrity for a value results in such.
Exctract from Daily Mail on Statement from Lafarge Chairman & CEO
Commenting on the planned importation of 1,600 tonnes by Chinese investors to erect a stadium in Ndola because the local product does not meet specific requirements, Mr Lafont said cement produced by Lafarge is of high standards.
“There is no way we can invest a lot of money in the construction of a new modern plant and sell low-quality cement,” he said.
If we have all these great ideas, perhaps we should have built the stadium ourselves. I think we must just concern ourselves with quality issues other than telling these people how to build a stadium. Also I want to find out what measures the government takes so that skills are transferred into the country. The next stadium should be built by Zambians and now is the time to learn.
It is unfortunate that even in the 21th century our government is still buying oil from grass…please people when we’ll end this. The concept of a care taker benefiting/ “stealing” from the field because he works the field is unacceptable. Cancel that deal Mr. President and why is Chilanga Cement quiet? If Mr. Banda wants to continue to render the opposition irrelevant, then fire your assistant ASAP because he acted irresponsibly and is taking you back (Bwezani).
It is unfortunate that even in the 21th century our government is still buying oil from grass…please people when will this end. The concept of a care taker benefiting/ “stealing” from the field because he works the field is unacceptable. Cancel that deal Mr. President and why is Chilanga Cement quiet? If Mr. Banda wants to continue to render the opposition irrelevant, then fire your assistant ASAP because he acted irresponsibly and is taking you back (Bwezani).
Tremendous issues here. I’m very satisfied to peer your post. Thank you a lot and I am looking forward to contact you. Will you kindly drop me a mail?