The first locomotive train to move on the Chipata/Mchinji railway, which has been under construction for the past 27 years, arrived in Chipata this afternoon.
There was excitement and jubilation among people of Chipata who gathered six kilometers from Mwami boarder, to witness the first working train, when it finally arrived carrying ballast stones for the completion of the Chipata/Mchinji project at 13:00 hours this afternoon.
Eastern Province Minister Isaac Banda, who was among the people who witness the first working train offload ballast stones said, once completed the Chipata/Mchinji railway line will uplift the socio-economic development of the country through enhanced trade between Zambia and Malawi.Mr Banda said this will be achieved through reduced transport costs.
He said the development will also contribute to government’s aspiration of wealth creation through sustained economic growth which he said is an important element in poverty reduction.
The Minister stated that this will further cement the already existing relationship between the two countries.
And speaking on behalf of Paramount chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people, Chief Mnukwa advised the people of Eastern Province to take advantage of the Chipata/Mchinji railway line to boost their businesses with the forth coming cheaper means of transportation.
Chief Mnukwa urged the people of both countries to ensure that once completed, the project is well managed and generate resources to sustain its operations.
He said it was gratifying to see the project reach an advanced stage adding that this could only be attributed to the efforts of President Rupiah Banda and his Malawian counterpart Bingu Wamutharika.
Meanwhile, chief Mnukwa has said there is need for Zambians to support each other in the spirit of oneness if the country is to develop.
The traditional leader castigated some politicians engaged in inciting citizens to destabilize the nation.
Chief Mnukwa said chiefs in the region will continue to support the government of the day, regardless of where the president hails from.
He stated that the founding father of the nation Dr Kenneth Kaunda championed the slogan of one Zambia one Nation to promote unity among people from all tribes.
He assured President Banda that chiefs in Eastern province will continue to support his government as he mobilizes resources to develop the country.
And Regional Marketing Manager for Central and East African railways, Leckson Kalanje said Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique will boost their economic activities with cheaper transportation through the Nacala corridor.
Mr. Kalanje also encouraged people in Zambia and Malawi to make use of the railway line to boost their businesses.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Chamber of Commerce has urged government to speed up the acquisition of land for a dry port.
ECCPI chairperson Timothy Nyirenda said there is urgent need to construct a dry port that will be used for storage and transportation of heavy duty goods.
Mr. Nyirenda said it is necessary to put up a road that would be ideal for heavy duty cargo because the current one passes through a compound and may not be able to contain heavy duty vehicles once the railway line becomes fully operational.
ZANIS
Good work, what took them so long to complete this same project,its been long overdue
That’s very good development for the infrastructure in the region but why did it take 27 years to accomplish?
I’m persuaded beyond any doubt that the current spirit of economic determination the tenacious RB administration has ushered in the the country has placed Zambia on her road to prosperity. Zambia will experience her greatest blessing of prosperity for the years of giving, hospitality to millions of refuges, love and covenant constitution. Zambia is the Ark of higher blessings that will be lived by the obedient in obedience and love.
Citizens who are ingenious,goal-getting, sagacious and trendsetting without time for futureless insulting kaponyalism will seize many opportunities, become wealth creators and prosper into emerging Zambian plutocrats.
Is that the best locomotive they could come up with? Do these people carry out cost analysis as it relates to care and maintenance of old, used equipment?
Thats good news but tu bantu twaku chipata muichindike sana with your style of giving names to your children now that you even have a train! Not twambe ukumfwako nomba children being given funny names such as Railline Phiri , Train Mabvuto etc.That train and everything that comes with it is meant to easy your transport problems and not a source of names for your children.And u should also avoid ukwimba tumbeba near the rail line cuz you will weaken the soil supporting those rails.We are tired of employing u Tembos & Bandas as garden boys in our yards here in urban areas so now try to get yourselves some better jobs from that train company even if it means sweeping on the rail lines since thats what u know better.U might need to reserve a vacancy for RB too jst in case 2011 yavuta for him!
Dear Zambians,
Lets position ourselves for our national prosperity out of real handwork and smart enterprising.Zambia is getting ready to take off for Grand scale prosperity you cannot afford to miss out.The environment and fundamentals in place are very idea and shaping up our destiny.
Trust veterinary to just spoil your day with his usual boring,annoying and good for nothing rantings
hmmm but ba Veteran bakaamba mwalikosa zoona.Biggy imwe ama postings yenu yonse ma serious issues fye.Awe mulinshimbi papa!Pants down for u boss or do they say hands down?Anyway,whatever! But I hope when u are home u do tell a few jokes so that ba madam balesekako filya nabo, mwaumfwa biggy? U kno most women look even more attractive when they laugh so I hope your serious blogging ends on LT cuz… anyway let me not interrupt your msg to the Zambians so you were saying Dear Zambians??? … continue boss,nimwe bamwine,mukuru wanchito,SC, mpu mpu mpu!!!
Really Zambia is heading for a destiny, those who have eyes let them see for Zambia’s future prosperity. life will never be the same again, the problem we have as Zambians, we like unfruitful criticism, it will just take change of our thoughts to realise how good is for country go developed.
#8, Veteran is at work, ninchito ale bomba unlike some of us. It’s either that or chi puba and doesn’t have a life!
Veteran has proved a hardcore spin Doctor hard to break. He has espoused every trait of a naturally gifted and prepared propagandist with unquestionable command of public matters.The challenge with most of us bloggers who have failed to par him is because, we are handicapped and dependent on the Post editorial agenda to counter him.I’m yet to see one of us in the PACT showing command of issues.
#10 Awe man ine aba ba Veteran ndabatina sana, I fear to even challenge him on this blog cuz when he hits back at u it will be rapid fire! He will post and post and post msgs just like the way M’membe quotes Sairach & Maccabes when he is annoyed! The editorial will be full of Sairach chapter 22 verse 16, Maccabe in chapter 19 is also saying…..hey!! Ala kwaliba bantu muno calo!
#12. That’s my question: who has so much time unless he is compensated in some way just like the Post are all about business. At least the Post are open and don’t hide behind aliases like veteran. For all I know he could be a diplomat or Shika/Ngoti’s assistant and we are paying for his salary.
Right development but wrong border! We need to do more trade with Angola and the Congo since these countries have a lot of resources that we could benefit from. If the line to Angola were restored, some of our oil could be transported on that route reducing our vulnerability. Although this is a good step I feel it smells of political interests other than economic. We need more economic strides other than moves designed to capture more votes. Congrats to the people involved in this latest development.
This is very good for Zambia and Malawi and more especially Chipata which has been pushing to attain city status for a long time as this development will lead to expansion of Chipata.
This has come at a good time for Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and SADC as this will boost cross-border trade between the three nations. Cross=border trade should be encouraged as it will lead to bigger markets, more competition and greater economic outcome.
Malawi has been growing at a fast pace and to ignore the Malawian market would be catastrophic or the nation. We have already opened the trade doors with Zimbabwe and South Africa with the Chirundu one-stop border facility, it is good that we open other trade doors with Malawi and Mozambique. Well done govt.
#11, i will disagree with you on that point about Veterinay,he’s nether gifted nor has any command of public matters, this man is paid to do what he does, he’s some PR assistant in some press liaison office in an emabssy.He is a man who has no principles,morality or self respect.He is a man who will insult a rebel MMD member today,call him all sorts of names,including his children,but when the tables turn,that mmd rebel decides to reconcile with mmd hierarchy, he will turn and start singing praises for the same person he insulted,more like going back to his own shyt,i challenged him on this issue(Mpombo and his daughters being tasintha graduates and being hookers in Aussie),he is spineless,he wont bite the hand that feeds him,his propaganda is not doing him or his paymasters any good
Very good developmental step for Chipata (City in the making) and the whole of mother Zambia.
The next this news crops up RB will be attributed with the development of the rail line, trust me. Minnions like Lifwekelo, Suilupwa et al will camp en masse with messages of gratitude to the(ir) father of the nation for bringing developement to the east. Brace yourselves folks!
Good News indeed, but let them revamp the other two existing railways, (Zambia Railways & Tazara). Coz ten years down the line it might be another flop
that doesn’t look anew train. more it looks like the 1st generation train. even if it was pa salaula wasn’t there something close to 21st century?
#14. you are spot on. economically, thinking.
And again, the drainage doesn’t seem to be there. heavy rains will be flooding this rail track.
BUT CONGRATULATIONS TO RB, WHO HAS JUST BEEN IN POWER BARELY A YEAR AND HE HAS MANAGED TO ‘DELIVER’ A RAIL TRACK.
27 years in counting.finally civilazation comes to chipata.
This rail line was under construction even under mwanawasa’s time….The last time I visited Chipata – it was quite well advanced. So do not heap praises on RB as yet – the budget for its completion was already allocated some time back. Cheers…..Njanji ya fika ku mawa….
Why only Chipata? Kavindele has also envisaged the N-W railway, where there is more cargo to carry, but the project has not been supported by govt. This is descriminatory development! to say the least. Iam a Eastern, but i abore descriminatory practices, based on any creed! What are you going to carry from Mchinji? if you’ve been there! I see all the cotton, tobbaco and seed processing plants based in chipata shifting to Malawi, and Zambia to become a dumping ground for Malawian products. Just Check the main market at Chipata n’ u will see what i mean. Cheap and poor quality malawian mazoe and other drinks. The malawians must be laughing at us! No real perceived economic befinits for our people.
Good news indeed. Veteran is right. People should take advantage of these opportunities. But again the lending institutions should make it easier for Zambians to borrow so that even Bembas can become infestors. Seriously without access to finance Our town(BUSINESES) will be dominated by foreigners who have access to cheaper credit. Without major industries in Eastern province the railway will be under utilised. So my fellow zambian lets not just complain. its up to us to develop zambia – not RB SATA HH
I remember in 1989 the rail line was still under construction when I visited lutembwe area near muchin in Chipata. When MMD came into power in 1991 the project ceased. It was resuscitated during the Levy administration. So if any MMD kant claims that Rupiah has done this then I will disagree with that Kant
finaly Chipata has seen a train KK started it, I dont know if chiluba did something all he just soled what was there as scrap metal, Mwanawasa continued from where KK left and Big Nose will get all the prise anyway life goes on. If we had a rail line from Angola passing thru Zambia to Mozambique that would bringa lot of Development to Zambia. We already have a line connecting as to DRC but if we did Business with Angola we can get alot of very cheap fuel instead of buying crud oil from the middle east we would be getting it from our brothers next door there would be no shortages.
Since Vetren is here today what can he tell us about RB’s son on Teta’s will, why should he get that car that belonged to Tetamalilo???? since someone said Vetran what evere he is has all the facts
Over 40yrs ago USA put a man on the Moon.. we are still struggling with building railway lines across the country.. Pathetic
Not that i want to be negative but gentlemen is that what you can call a train sure???? Please, they will spend so much more on maintining that thing. Awe sure RB poseniko amano napapata please!!!!!!!
We in the third world what do you expect at they will buy a locomotive machine that uses electricity with all the moden equipment on it mubepelefye someone has to chew some cash, am so sure there was alot of nchekeleko
No# 31 zedman do get tuned to falacies. No one has ever landed on the moon. Fabricated Hollywood camera work to try and stop the Russian pursuits into space. The raillines completion is a great achievement for Zambia as a nation. People forget what benefits one sector elevates the rest.
Veteran on watchdog, LT wow! By analysis, he speaks with the smoothness of chiluba, has traits of spin doctorism (if there is any word like that) like VJ, speaks blabberish propaganda like mulongoti, and has the blind dedication and loyalty of a cadre like pande. He is a piece of work who deserves his own scientific name or specification. A morph of extreme genetic engineering. He would the Universal Soldier of MMD. Thats it.
Atleast bamuchime (easterners) have seen a locomotive in their lives. this is very good
How can it take 27 years to build a railway line from Chipata to Mchinji? That is barely 40 km!!! 27 years???? Come on people this is not development, 27 years into 30Km, that is 1km per year!! Pathetic. If money was already allocated for this project then the project leader sucks!! To top it all, you bring an antic of a goose train…steam engine! This is because by the time the project started, the computer was just a Mainframe poineered over 10000Km away, but still had electric trains, now the railway is here after 27 years, we have palm tops and super servers but still using steam engines!!
Congratulations to RB and his team. Hope the Railway Project will not end up like Tazara, under-utilised, under-capitalised and a drain on tax payers.
Good to hear about raluwe to reach chipata, now do not heap all praises on NYAMASOYA like what i have already seen, some have already started showering praises on nyamasoya, he was not there when this project started.
Smooth criminal, intellectuals talk wont make any sense to you, ba veteran go on speek out and educate some dumb heads
Finally! I wonder whethet we are supposed to mourn or celebrate. Persoannally the arrival of that train is a clear testimony of what we are capable of. Rubish patience which has never helped anyone. Can anyone help me with a Green Card so that I migrate to America. May be there…
#39 Sol Man, intelligence is relative,if you find what ba veterinary spouts to be of any intelligence,then good for you,i personally find it to be confusing to say the least
Please people stop hallucinating about a transport link to Angola. It will never happen because it entails building infrastructure through Lozi and Luvale land. To most people this is a none starter.
Good development although long overdue. Now do something about Angola and Congo borders too. The blue locomotives were purchased some time in the 90s from Canada and i think they are still in good condition if maintained properly
Now give Kavindele to build a railway line in North Western up to Angola port.Y deny Kavindele that project? what about his proposals for a Tel-company? The plonblem is we have a lot of hypocites in place to real impede development.
Congrats GRZ!!!! Credit where its due; but the quetion still bugs me; why this border? Is there any economic benefits apart from RB’s family to visit relative across the border, what do we export to Malawi? I would have prioritised cong and angola as this would have quick wins for us. Anyway, let me not spoil your day … Congrats!.Someone mentioned spin doctors on these blogs … Yes they exist and the name has been mentioned, thats guy I guess should be blogging from state house.
So belenge ba Banda nabawina. Come 2011 Eastern Province MMD will get 100%
Congrats to the Govt. This is welcome , but this was LPM’s baby. Its something i dont hear RB talking about. Mwanawasa was quite vocal on it fortunate to have it start rolling on his watch I hope it will bring the expected development to people of the area and indeed the Country as a whole.
Vimasilu vioneni
My God, what locomotive is that? Carrying ballast stones in this era of high speed bullet trains! Mawe!!!
Thank you Lord for your mercy. My soul magnifies the Lord, for he has seen the lowly estate of his people and visited them with this blessing. Twenty seven years is a very long time to build a railway line less than 100 miles long, but we have at last done it. In the early 1900s it took less than 5 years to build a railway line from Livingstone to Ndola with major bridges like the Kafue rail bridge thrown in! Now it is time to open up another outlet to the west through the Lobito-Benguela railway. This needs the co-operation of the Angola government to clear the millions of landmines and explosive ordinaces that litter that war ravaged north-eastern Angola. God will help us.
RB has just confided in me that once completed, the train would take one month from Chipata to reach Lilongwe. might be very handy in 2011. Take all PF supporters to Lilongwe 2 days before elections for sight seeing so that they miss voting!
Lady Chiza’s
Tell us how many countries in the world have ‘high speed bullet trains?’
The locomotive you see in the picture is a construction loco. It is not a passenger train because the line is not yet complete! And even when it is completed it will not be electric but diesel run, which is the case in the vast majorityof countries in the world. Even the UK , the fourth riches country in the world does not yet have a ‘high speed bullet train.’ You don’t run before you can crawl.
Miyoba,
This railway is a gateway to Mozambique ports. Its part of the eastern growth triangle. I bet you would have been haapy if it was in southern province you tribalist f@#k.
Now Chipata needs to live up to its name as the ‘gate’ to the east. The port of Nacala in Mozambique is beautiful and very orderly but underutilised. The fishing waters of Lake Malawi now will be accessible to Zambians at low cost and give hundreds of Chipata women job opportunities and economic empowerment. Indeed a dry port should be established sooner rather than later and the Mwami border post should be like Chirundu as well. Zambia, Tanzania and Malawi should co-operate to connect the northern province of Malawi to Tunduma and TAZARA through the Abercon- Tukuyu corridor which the Germans once used as a pass and later became the border between British Rhodesia and German East Africa. With this regional co-operation we will finally shake off colonial yokes! AMEN.
The lovely tea from the beautiful and scenic slopes of mount Mulanje will also be accessible to Zambians. BUT there is a downside with this development, and that is the ever present vices of prostitution, corruption and robbery with their off-shoots of disease, economic malaise and murders. Let all the people who have access to the throne of grace pray that this will not be so! Pray that Zambians will see a spiritual revival that will bring godliness to our people so that the twin evils of laziness and poverty will be eliminated and each and every Zambian will find joy and pleasure in work and godliness and contentment will be great gain indeed.
This is good news but what about the Mutanda- Chavuma road and the Choma- Namwala rd projects.These projects could have started almost at the same time with the Mchinji Railway project.If there is one area Zambia has to improve on is project management.
The people from the east of central Africa are the most inclusive and non-segregatory of all. In Malawi, Mozambique and Eastern Zambia you can settle down with your investment and never feel out of place. Hundreds of Sout Africans are investing in Mozambique and when you visit Maputo, you cannot believe that this was a country at war for so long. Most of this investment is in tourism and hospitality business, but there are other arears that others can invest in. Switzerland, France and Germany built an airport at the tri-border point of Mulhouse. We could also use some tri-border points that Zambia shares with Namibia/Botswana/Zimbabwe, Malawi/Mozambique, Malawi/Tanzania and Congo/Angola. The future of COMESA is bright if there were visionaries there.
# 4 and 32 are you familiar with train engines?
These countries now have leaders who do not have personal differences and will put the interests of their people at the fore. Kaunda and Nyerere did the impossible with TAZARA. But Kaunda could not see eye to eye with Kamuzu Banda and Mobutu was a selfish git. Angola and Mozambique were still not ready and of course Mugabe did not forget our Nkomo-philia. BUT now, the stage is set for real regional cooperation and I urge leaders in this region to get together and create Africa’s most effective and prosperous internal market, spearheaded by the giant economy of South Africa. 233 milion people are looking to the SADC leaders. COMESA, SADC and SACU should merge to form one economic block. That means half a billion people in Africa under one economic zone!
I believe that this economic intergration should go before the political. Gaddafi’s United States of Africa is a no, no! Politics in Africa will never intergrate until there is economic propserity for all. South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Tanzania should be encouraged to join COMESA. The customs rules of the Southern Africa Customs Union should be extended to COMESA members and the development programs of SADC, EAC and the Arab countries of Libya and Egypt as well as The Sudan should be integrated under COMESA nations. This huge common market with a the great Rhodes’ ‘Cape to Cairo’ rail dream fulfillled would be the back-bone of economic development unprecedented in recent years. Cecil Rhodes was a great thinker.
# 47 How is this project LPM’s project if it started 27 years ago? l m not trying to be negative,this is good news but how long is it going to take us to develop the whole country if a 30 km rail line takes 27 years?
It is estimated that if Cecil Rhodes were alive today, his personal wealth would be 10 times that of Bill Gates! Such a man’s dream should not be intered with his bones. If there is any leader in Africa today, who has the interest of the people at heart should begin to work to complte Cecil Rhodes dream. We are already in the process of connecting to a high speed internet network which will run on the Eastern coast of Africa. Let us put a land rail line parallel to it to run from Cape Town to Cairo through the great rift valley and truly open up Africa for trade, fulfilling the dream of another great man, Dr David Livingstone!
Motsepe
The delay was on the Malawi side. Mwami is only 12 km from Chipata.
Members of the jury, this is a positive development and lets celebrate and advise where we can for the sake for development of our only country. Remember you can only have one life and one country. Lets now concentrate on Zambia – Angola route.
#34 Mwanawakwitu
stop smoking that strong stuff…. and drop the conspiracy theories
What is sad is that an outdated rail system is being celebrated… we shuld demnad better from your dander-head leaders
Muliba iche bonse. This project has all the three presidents in put. It has had interuptions due to civil strife in MZMque
This is really gud development though we have been waiting almost three decades for this to happen. people of chipata should utilise this to improve their small business trading between the two countries. Now please dont change or give names to kids, names like Njanji Phiri,Train Jere, Locomotive Banda etc pantu mwebaku chipata you known with such crazy names. poseni those tuma njinga you use to do business with.
Greatdevelopment ,Lets see more. I hope it wont go to RCZ. Lets not be sceptics, lets sieze the opportunity that will come with this project. I am surprised at the low level Government representation . I would have expected the President. his VEEP or minister of Commerce, Finance or Communications
Smooth Criminal hi. You always sound so bitter. Why is this. You are certainly quite well informed but seem over come with emotion and negative energies
#5 DOB, You are so funny, I love your blog and you’ve made my day.
Dob Machende yako. mutu monga kolwe. One time we put one of you monkey-eaters in State House and he spent all the time in the tunnels thinking there was mbeba. He failed and then pretended the tunnels were for torturing people. If you continue like this we will even pull the capital and our President from Lusaka to Chipata Nkumba iwe!!
when are we going to think of puttting up High-speed rail in opur country.I believe we have sufficient resources which if well harnessed can make it possible to seet up one.we need a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic.
Zed people u amaze me. When it comes to corruption that was done in Levy’s era , you still condemn RB but when successful projects are completed and commissioned under him you say do not give him the praise. As for me I say congrats RB. And for those who think there is no economic value for this project, i bet you will die poor and continue accusing the govt of not improving things or eradicating povery. Just a reminder, this whole project started with KK and RB was in KK’s team. So give thanks and praise and we shall move forward.
No.71
Go ahead and shift the capital and president to Eastern Province. But make sure the border will be Luangwa River and never set foot on the western side of the river again, ewe Makaka. Never think any province in Zambia can survive on its own. We all need each other, you baboon……
LT baby napapata shileta picture mu weekend before shilayinuka. Nshakwata PC ku nyumba yanga nebo
#69 Positivist shani mune,im not bitter or overcome by emotion,its just that i maybe take it so personal when i see a fellow zambian sink so low as as some bloggers i’ve come to know,,,thanks for the advise, i will try to be more humorous for a change
Good news. Better late than never. Lets learn from the past so we can do better in future.
The train is here, my kwindi cousins please dont dig for mbeba under the rail track as # 5 said.
Now lets have a rail link with Angola and Mozambique. These are coastal countries, we shall benefit a lot. In this way Zambia will truly become the hub of Central Africa road and rail network. We can earn some good forex.
Vetinary continue supporting your Eastern Local team or sorry ;Locomotive. How about R. Chongwe pliz cheque worthy $5.9m is already prepapred tell your bro to proceed to ZANACO
Good news indeed. Thats what is needed(capital goods). Now connect Angola to Zambia and also invest in the Namibia(Caprivi) Zambia link. With easy access to Namibian coastal ports, Angolan oil and coastal ports, Tanzania and now Malawi and Mozambique, Zambia will enjoy competitive prices on our many imports. Keep up the good work and not just soliciting for votes.
# 71, Dob is a lady please.
#69 Positive Pa Zed
It could be due to The POST. The Post newspaper is full of bitterness and bad taste. Readers get it from them. Bitterness is contageous and hard to get rid off. It’s like the spirit of complaining. Once a heart sets into that mode, you will have to fight very hard to stop complaining.
Many years ago, my friends and I used to complain about everything. We were students in a UK university. One day I thought I must stop this habit. I would wake up and say today I will not complain. That was when I discovered that complaining and bitterness are very difficult to kick out of your life. They are like a spirit. They keep you in bondage. And they make you ugly.
#11 – I think everyone has seen through ‘Veteran Says’ as a one sided RB cheer leader paid for by MMD to spin and really taking him on will only uphold his shallow assertions. To even mention RB as part of some project that has been evolving for 27 years is staggering. The fact that the project has now come to fruitition is welcome but our discussion should be about how we learn from such a project so that the future ones should not take so long. Please ignore this chap as he is counterproductive.
The Saint: Zambia has enough money to get highspeed trains. Just ask RB iwe!!
A JOINT Zambian and Tanzanian delegation is expected to leave for China next week to sign the 14th protocol with the Chinese government on the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA).
The protocols have many items for project support such as the supply of wagons and locomotives and the revamping of the TAZARA School to train employees in various railway skills.
Minister of Transport and Communications Geoffrey Lungwangwa said in an interview in Lusaka that a delegation from the two governments will on December 19 travel to China to engage that government on TAZARA on the way forward.
Source. Zambia Daily Mail.
Hopefully something good is coming. We need an efficient rail system in Zambia. Tazara is one key trade link.
Well done RB and the Government,i will Vote for you again.
Nalimo bufi. This has taken ages to be accomplished. Weldone Zambia!
Zabwino…mwe..manje next is the 4 lane freeway from Lusaka to chipata- toll road yamushe! Not timaroad ting’ono with a lot of bumps ai???
#77 UK-Zed Observer
We already have rail links with Angola and Mozambique. If you check your geography, the shortest route to the sea from Lusaka is to Beira via Harare. All the rest are more than 1000 km away. However, I woul agree that there should be more regional cooperation between Provincial capitals and and our neighbouring countries instead of depending on Lusaka. Mansa with Lubumbashi, Solwezi with Kasai and Kolwezi, Mongu with Huambo, Sesheke with Walvis Bay, Luangwa and Katete with Zumbo and Tete and Chipata with Lilongwe and Nacala (Nazala).
Pafisenge,# 73 I have followed this project and I know it was one that the late LPM re initiated and as of last year, There as very little remaining to be done, The game plan was to extend it Kapiri actually. So I say congrats to RB , but its was really an LPM project. Snd I feel this is even reflected in the low Government level representation Ghost dog # 72. I hope we can get there soon. Lets all just make our contribution and always vote wisely
Uk – Zed observer # 81. I hear you. I was at UNZA and was so critical, I never saw any thing good in FTJ and the MMd and i used to read the post religiously and the more negative they were, The more i loved them,. I really dont know what made me realise that i had too much negative energies. I at some point started to see things more objectively, and realised that while so many things could be done better, we were not the trash I believed we were. I then started lookang at other countries in Africa and around the world and was able to see that all countries are grappling with problems. Be it Zimbabwe, Italy Japan or America etc and what normally distinguished these countries is the type of problems and level of development
Chi number 5 Dob, walitumpa!
Viva Sakala Jayzee! Abash these monkey eating big-heads! Yeah achto tuseka pambeba zathu koma everyday nimuma tunnels! ha ha ha!
Viva Sakala Jayzee! Abash these monkey eating big-heads! Yeah achito tiseka pambeba zathu koma everyday nimuma tunnels! ha ha ha!
Seriously speaking tho, this is a gud devpt. Never mind who takes the credit and by Zambian stds RB will take the credit just like LPM did for the mines in Northwestern privince whose reserves for those of u miners were discoveed in the sixties. funny. Somebody tell me whether there are any plans to link it with Lusaka or atleast Petauke-the hub of the eastern province! There is a port in Mozambique which in time cud be used to bring in cars into Zambia and for those familiar with the Durban-Beit bridge-Harare-Kariba route, you will agree that this cud be a dream come true.
In football, the guy who score the goal is the one we praise and that regardless of who dribbled to passto him. KK was the full back who lobed a long ball to Chiluba. Chiluba tried to dribble in the mid field but lost it to the opponent. In the process, KK fouled and received a yellow card. The coach substituted Chiluba and brought in Mwanawasa.Mwanawasa worked hard in the midfield. He got back the ball from the opposition and quickly crossed it to RB who was sprinting down the middle and volleyed into goal!!!!
Funny saint but true.Look at how LPM took credit for Lumwana and the economic growth that started in 2001. KP there are such plans but i dont think goverment has done the blueprint yet. I dont think it is being given much prioirity yet. I believe that Dora had taken a particular interest, probably partly because her constituency is in Petauke. But we need to do is lobby , and maybe it will come true
But imwe wamene mukamba ati well done MMD ndimwe Mbuzi!!! UNIP under KK started it when it was fashionable, MMD under FTJ stalled it when things should have evolved (Was probably trying to sell it to make a quick Buck!) and now “Kanitundila” finishes it when its old fahioned and everyone is happy. ZAMBIA will neva develop if it takes 27 years to build 20Km of rail…believe me!
Banda has concentrated very much on eastern province on the experience of other provinces. He is paying very little attention on NW railway, Luwingu-Kasama road , Mongu- Kalabo road and TAZARA which have more economical values than a-muchiji rail. There is likelihood that this rail line may turn to be a liability to the nation
This is like being in the wild west two centuries ago. It has finally happened in Eastern Province! I suppose we have to be grateful for small mercies.
Il Nino UNIP started the idea and then gave it powerful sleeping pills.Chiluba pretended to wake it up. I think the railway just got tired of being in a coma and woke itself up! Kasama you should go to the Copperbelt, the one time urban area of Zambia has no roads in all the townships and the roads between the towns have been eaten up