Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services Deputy Minister, David Phiri, has commissioned two new bridges constructed at a cost of K64 million under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in Katete district.
Speaking when he commissioned Kalowe bridge in Mkaika constituency yesterday, Mr. Phiri said the bridge will ease the transportation of agricultural products and inputs to and from market centres and farming blocks which was almost impossible for farmers in the past.
He said the bridge will also help school going children to manage to go to school and other villagers to cross the river to access medical care from health centres during rain seasons, which was not possible previously.
Mr. Phiri, who is also Mkaika Member of Parliament, said he would ensure that CDF was spent on significant developmental projects that benefited large number of people in the community.
In the past, only a few people belonging to groups such as women’s clubs were benefiting from the CDF.
Mr. Phiri expressed satisfaction at the quality of work done by Libean Contractor, a local contractor based in Katete.
Later, he commissioned Mponda bridge, and reiterated government’s continued implementation of developmental projects in Katete district and the whole Eastern province.
And headman Mutambalika, Island Banda, who represented several other village headmen, commended the ‘new deal’ government for developing the province.
Mr. Banda also commended government for its transparency by making the CDF known to the people.
He said in the past, CDF was not known to villagers as a result, it was just plundered at the expense of ignorant needy people in rural areas.
He observed that the two bridges would enable people to access health facilities even in the rain seasons.
He added that the two facilities would also ease movements of people for their various activities across the two rivers.
And Katete District Council Director of Works, Monday Muwowo, urged people to take good care of the new bridges so that they can last longer.
Mr. Muwowo warned the villagers against the use of ox-sledges on the bridges saying these were destructive to bridges.
And GOVERNMENT has released Twenty four billion Kwacha for the construction of a high school in Nyimba District, Eastern Province.
Nyimba District Commissioner, Alexander Miti, disclosed this during the Provincial Development and Coordinating Committee (PDCC) meeting in Chipata.
Mr. Miti said that the school was being constructed at Kacholola where work had reached an advanced stage.
In another development, Mr. Miti said the Nyimba District administartion had formed a forestry crack squad, to curb the illegal cutting of trees and transportation of charcoal outside the area.
He said the team was working hard to ensure that forestry products were preserved for the development of the district.
In a related development, Petauke District Commissioner, David Tembo, said the district had so far confiscated 130 by 50 kg bags of charcoal, some firewood, 14 bicycles and two light trucks laden with timber, in a bid to reduce illegal exploitation of forest resources.
ENDS/SM/PK/ZANIS
Are these bridges or culverts. A bridge for 64m. Hope it is of good quality and standard.
A bridge is a bridge,whether small or big and irrespective of how much it costs to build,a culvert can never be a bridge,it’s only a medium that aids drainage.
Knowing a bit about bridges and their costs, one for K64m is very basic. I hope there are plans for maintenance, and even upgrading…but again it may be suitable for the area…who knows.
i think #1 has a point.the reporter should have take pictures of the two bridges to make a comprehensive report.These are pictures we need in the media and not photographing PULE.
Congrats my man…that’s the kind of leadership we need to develop our country.Am so proud of such an MP…keep working hard and some day you might be LPM’s successor!!
Bravo atleast one MP seam to do something with the cdf,so all these years those people had no bridge? amazing hope those bridges will be maintained
A bridge worth K64m. These are simply foot bridges.
Check standards pulizi, I cant even cast a slab of a 3 bedroomed house with that amount if proper standards are followed.
Ihave seen people roof a whole 3 bedroomed house with K50 million. It is all about standards or perhaps words.
Foot bridge or bridge as proper bridge.
But should a foot bridge be headline news! Standrds I guess.
I do not care much about the standards, atleast it shows that someone is working.
In the mean-time atleast the villagers in Mkaika constituency will be crossing without having to use utu mabwato.
A half loaf is better than nothing at all. People should give constructive criticism.
#9 believe me after working in development and crisis prevention for 8 years, these so called bridges are being washed away this season again and another 64 million will be spent, that is why it makes sense to spend a lot more, build permanent bridges instead of throwing this money in these fast flowing streams. I have a rough idea of Mkaika and where these bridges are and year in year out they have been washed away because of poor structural design. “Mr. Muwowo warned the villagers against the use of ox-sledges on the bridges saying these were destructive to bridges.” provide for this means of transport, what does he want them to do, lift their produce on the heads?
They say the least you can add to your CV is that which was not there and hence the bridge is a move in the right direction regardless of whether it is a foot bridge!!!
#10 You have hit it on the head, the problems is that people dont see the costlyness of substandard structures.
I think CDFs should stop being distributed as they are simply insufficient in themselves for anything constructive to be done though they are collectively a huge sum.
I just hope they bridge contractor contacted the RDA to ensure that the structures quality will stand the test of time.
As much as we appreciate the Engineers on this site, i think common sense demands that we dont analyse that which we cant see or whose specs have not been given because of the subjectivity That may arise. Let us learn to stick to the subject matter. I dont think many bastards here know how strong or weak the bridges are. There were civil engineers and i think payment was based on a completion certicate. So lets not try to exibit ignorance here.
@#14, don’t act like a smart ass, calling bloggers bastards or ignorant. The reason people are debating the worthiness of the bridge is that the K64m is too little for a good bridge, unless u’re talking about a foot one or a temporal structure. If you’ve done university/college level maths or philosophy, you will realise that people here are using the thing called ‘reasoning by induction’. They have the premises ‘K64m’ and ‘the costs of civil works’ which is general knowledge, from which they’re are deducing the physical worthiness of the bridge. Is that difficult for u? Common sense is not always the best option for smart people.
10. Mwiinga,once again, I find myself in total agreement with your intelligent, ration and balanced analysis of the issue at hand, unlike so many on this blog who just want to “talk” for the sake of it, like 14. Conman above as 15 rightly observes. I always look forward to your input on each subject at hand. Keep it up. #15, please ID yrself properly too beyond “anonymous”
And I might add, let’s hope it doesnt turn out the MP has a stake in the contractor concerned…? For that would break my heart! Hhmmm…
“Mr. Muwowo warned the villagers against the use of ox-sledges on the bridges saying these were destructive to bridges”.
Accurately stated, the advice should have been: ox-sledges were destructive to these kinds of bridges.
#18, if you know that people use heavy trucks of 30 tons plus, why construct a bridge to carry a maximum of 2 tons. So if this Muwowo knows that people use sledges, design a brigde to withstand sledges or provide ox-carts not telling people who cannot afford anyother means of transport not to use the bridge.
#19, I here you perfectly. Mr Muwowo was implying a humble rebuke to the MP of how costly the cheap bridges will be in the long-term. He also meant that the problem is not solved. I hope the MP got the message presented to him by the headman mu ma pinda.
No. 16, and you think your comments are worth noting. Majority of the people in Zambia are well aware that CDFs are insufficient for any constructive programme or activity to be carried out. If at all you have ever attended a DDCC or PDCC meeting you will note that the bulk of there plans remain unattained due to lack of funds. Besides, I don’t see the govt increasing the CDF substantially in the near future.