The government has terminated the permit for The North-Western Rail to construct a railway line from Chingola to Solwezi.
Communications and Transport Minister, Dora Siliya confirmed the development.
Mrs. Siliya said the action has been taken in public interest because the North-Western Rail has taken long to construct the railway line.
She said the company was issued with the permit to construct a railway line from Chingola to Solwezi in 2005.
Mrs. Siliya said government is a hurry to construct the railway from Chingola to Solwezi to link Angola’s Jimbe border.
She said in the next few years there will be pressure on roads from Livingstone to the Copperbelt and the situation needs to be arrested by expanding on other forms of transports like rail.
The North-Western Rail is run by former republican Vice President, Enock Kavindele.
And Minister Dora Siliya has commended the Catholic Church for supplementing government’s efforts in up lifting the living standard of the under privileged in society.
Ms Siliya noted that the Catholic Church has practically shown interest to work closely with government by helping the needy in communities.
She said this in Lusaka today when she officiated at the St Ignatius Fundraising walk for the under privileged in society organized by the branch women’s league organization.
Ms Siliya noted that government alone can not solve all the problems that people are faced with in their communities hence the need for other stakeholders to come on board and emulate what the Catholic Church is doing.
She has since thanked the women for organizing such an event, adding that this will go a long way in helping the less privileged in the country.
And speaking earlier, St Ignatius Women’s league group chairperson Priscilla Chimba said the organizations’ objective is to help the needy in society.
Mrs. Chimba said her organization works towards closing the gaps between the rich and the poor and would want to reach out where government can not.
She disclosed that the organization has also adapted to two wards at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and Chilenje transient home were they are helping meet the basic needs for patients.
She thanked government for the support and pledged to continue working hard in uplifting the living standards of people in community.
Thats good what was Kavindele waiting for surely from 2005 nothing has been done.Limbi takakwata impiya.
Obviously
Why is it that Kavindele has problems with gov? Mobile license revoked,and now rail line contract. I smell a rat!!!
We appreciate the efforts made by Kavindele, but it just goes to show that such big projects require big money. Kavindele has been trying to get partners to join him all this time. I would commend him for the effort, but I think such a big project should be undertaken by the government. Especially, as it is in the best interest of the nation to get the railway line sorted out asap. Govt are the ones who need to find partners instead. What about all the extra revenue coming in from the increase in royalties and taxes???
Bwana Kavindele likes to talk the talk but can’t walk the walk!! Like the indigenous Americans say this part of the world: Big thunder, great lightning. No rain!!
Surely we need a reliable rail line. As the minister said there will be too much pressure on the the roads. looking at the quality of our roads they will wear out in no time so the govt should spear head the construction of this rail line.
The issue is beyond, what the Minister has said. Kavindele has done all he could . The problem has been with the Government. For your own information, its the government that hasbeen delaying. Kavindele was only cleared to go ahead with the constraction a few months ago. There was an issue of Environmental impact assessment which was only finalised a few months ago. So how was he supposed to proceed when the government was still delaying the release of the results for the environmenta impact assessment ?
I smell a rat too, but lets wait and see. Govt has failed to tar solwezi/chavuma road completely for ages. The rail line is supposed to go all the way to lobito, Angola. I see it taking decades. When private individuals takeup such tasks, govt can then use the money for other projects. However, gov should monitor progress of the private companies in completing the projects in time and of high quality. Again lets wait and see alot of nice things are happening with the new deal.
If Govt was interested in the rail-line they could have built it a long time ago. Govt is only intreseted in sabotaging Kavindele’s plans.
if Govt intreseted in Road networks, Why not build a road directly from Livingstone passing through western province to North Western mining areas then Join Angola road networks. This can diffinately bring a new corridal of development similar to that established before independence the so called line of rail. This can in turn from Mongu to Namibia busy with hopes of development too.
THE MAN WAS NOT GUD ENUF PERIOD, WHY MUST WE DISCUSS THIS, THAT, IS THIS EVEN A TOPIC? WHAT IS IT YOU PEOPLE ARE DAFT OR WHAT?
ARE YOU THERE WHEN KAVINDELE IS DRINKING HIS CHAMPAGNE? YOU DAFT ZAMBIANS, AS IF HE EVEN CARES ABOUT YOU. THATS HIS BUSINESS LET HIM STAY WHERE HE IS, I DONT CARE I AM JUST SICK OF ALL OF THIS CHAPWA, IF ITS NOT CHILUBA, ITS CASTRO, LEVY, WHAT THE HELL?
I JUST MISS THOSE BLACK VELVET DAYS BECUZ WHEN CBU CLOSED I WOULD SPEND MY DAYS THERE.
To those of you that have an ear to the ground and know where all the information regarding this project is kept let us know so that we can also go and read about it on our own. For now let’s not criticize for the sake of doing it. If the detail unveiled by #7 is public domain, tell us where it is so that we can check on it. Let’s play a fair game on this one.
I agree with # 7. The pressure is partly coming from forces beyond bodas!!! Remember EK’s background and how that is detested by the life president on the other side. There is more to the story (I guess). Unfortunately this is now being seen as a perscution not only EK but also to all those connected with him and the pple of North Western. What may be seen as a simple decision to take can be misunderstood and result into something which may be regretable in future.
I would like to hear from the side of Mr. Kavindele to make a good judgment on the matter.
no comment but but does anyone really know what went down?
Kavindele means well . The problem is with the government.I suspect that these guys have an intrest in the project so baleufwaya umuchanga nabena.
WHY EK??????????????Atleast there are people who admire your efforts just check where you miss it all for people to terminate some of your ‘good’ ideas.Give us your confidence…..
Hey, hey! EK ran out of money, big money a long time ago! Possibly, all his big money bags ran to the ground with the killing of Savimbi. He is only left with Rolex watch, pen etc to show off. Remember the “Elf” Oil building saga at the Cairo road north round out about, how long did it take him,to try and finish that kept on selling and putting buy-back clauses in contract for sale! This Railway project is way too big for the likes of EK, no wonder he tried to force the hand of Mining companies in North west to commit to using the railway.Truth is goverment should just take on this project esp using the money (tax)they stand to raise from increased Mineral tax. EK alefwaya fye ukwikatila
(Cont’d #17) ama opportunities! Tis not so bad if he can quickly find financiers but if he fails to and just keeps on holding to these “opportunities” then thats not good for the country. How long has it taken Boma to finalise the Chipata-Muchinji railway? (Ba Siliya, even govt does not have clean hands as far as this is concerned!!!)It will be interesting to see how EK manages to raise the US$3.2m in 90 days (now possibly only 60 days remaining)for the Mobile Network licence seeing that Vodacom SA is no longer keen to invest in Zambia owing to them having lost off on head start. Dont get me wrong I wish EK all the best, though he might just be taking too big a bite for his own mouth!
Tough luck EK. Your entreprenuership should be commended. Polish up on the execution of strategies and business plans
# 18 Ying Yang- Chung Lee, you are spot on.Mama Siliya, I hope the NorthWest Railway won’t end up like the never ending Chipata- Mchinji Railway project. It only gets small tokens of attention when a general election is around the corner.
#17..Thats cool………..
It’s like “ploughing back into the Angolan economy” using Savimbi’s legacy. You guys know a thing about “blood diamonds” and one of the two chaps gun-running for Savimbi was none other than the rail investor, the other being ba B.Y nabena baliwa baad!
This is a warning to all powerful guys. Your actions today will come to haunt you in future. Don’t beat about the bush guys, KAVINDELE openly supported that rascal SAVIMBI and now he’s paing back. Dos SANTOS is right to put pressure to block such an investiment. Imagine Bin Laden’s open friends proposing to build a rail line in USA 20years from now, It wont be accepted.
Kenneth Kaunda as president openly supported Savimbi and the Zambian gov at large did. USA too. So Kavi was not alone. Has Zambian gov or Kaunda stopped dealing with Angola on developmental issues? NO.
Reason Kaunda supported Savi is beyond what this forum can assimilate.
Kavi is a sharp seasoned politician and knows what is going on and be rest assured he will be fruitiful with his business.
It is reported Bin and his surrogates gives a grant yearly to a particular Univ. in massachusetts. # 22 think more widely, stop being egocentric.
Regardless of whether EK has a money or not, nor how many years has taken to do the project. People must understand that he is an entreprenuer with his hands on so many projects. Perhaps there are some risks that are involved in this particular project.
I think EK has done well beyond the negative comments on this post and helped so many Zambians obtain jobs. Hats off to EK!!!! He is an idol to so many!! He’s run some very successful businesses and some may have not gone in his favour. Atleast he took the risks.
Help!!! Someone pls explain to me if the Government is now gong to “Speed up” the construction of Railway, and while we are on the subject what about Zambia Railways or whatever it is called these days?
EK came up with the idea as an original idea. Where GRZ all this time? I notice that the line from listone to Kitwe in now a market place. GRZ concetrate on this line and make it workable before embaking on another white elephant. For 10s of years GRZ has failed to finish the road from Solwezi to Chavuma, what is the garantee this time that they are in a hurry to build the line? Why are they not in a hurry to tar the road to where there is oil as they claim?
The idea of a railway line from NW to Angola is not EK’s original idea. If you know your history there used used to be the Benguela rail line from near our border thru Congo to the Coast in Angola but was destroyed during the Unita/MPLA war. We once used this rail line during Ian Smith’s UDI.
So Siliya is hitting back after shamefully loosing out on the mobile operator license? If the government is ‘in a hurry’ why can’t they help the man raise the funds for project. Poor minded Zambians, why are you always pulling each other down?
#27 the idea of a rail line from Chingola to NWP was his original idea. Prove me wrong that GRZ ever suggested building a rail line to NWP. The Benguela line was not Zambian, Zambia only used it but had no input in its building. I know this history very well. I know where the rail line terminates in ANGOLA because I have been there. Mind you I come from the area and I know how much the people of NWP have suffered over the issue of transport. It was a forgotten province and has some of the poorest road networks in the country; until now with the discovery of immerse resources that everyone wants to be associated with it.
GRZ has lamentably failed to tar the Mutanda-Chavuma Road for 44 years. Clearly GRZ has no capacity and goodwill towards the tarring of that road. Chiluba, despite his shortcomings, is the only president whose government attended to a few kilometres of that road. With his departure, the people of NWP should forget about that dusty highway being tarred to Chavuma. They should also forget about the railway now that the GRZ has stopped Kavindele from going ahead with that project. Some of these men and women in GRZ are behaving like clowns in a circus.
6UmsPj comment1 ,
Incredible site!
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