Friday, March 29, 2024

Chingola-Solwezi rail still alive

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The government is ready to start the construction of the railway line from Chingola to Solwezi to link Zambia to Angola.

Communications Minister, Dora Syliya said the government will start the project when a viable private company comes on bound.

She was speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka.

Ms. Syliya said the decision to revoke the permit granted to North-West Railway company was done in the public interest.

She said the company did not start work despite being given a permit three years ago.

Meanwhile Mrs. Syliya said Railways System of Zambia has pledged to invest $30 million in infrastructure rehabilitation.

She said the move will improve the company’s operations and passenger safety.
[ZNBC]

19 COMMENTS

  1. We need electric trains also. Global warming is very serious and hence calls our attention immediately.

    Otherwise, I hope the $30 mil Railway(s) System(s) of Zambia plans to invest will help bring some sanity in the way the current trains operate.

  2. Who’s the numbskull that said it was dead? Diversifying our transport sector is one of the ways we can make progress pa Zed.

  3. The clowns in this regime are unable to see the importance of communications – electronic communications in Zambia are really poor. The quality of sound on cellphones is as poor as Sata’s teeth! I really do not understand why the Telecomms Authority is this docile.

    Our other transport systems – Rail, Air and Water are least addressed. I would love to read the typical monthly ministerial reports coming from the transport ministry to LPM to upraise him on their monthly events. I am also curious as to what Memos from LPM to this ministry are addressing because it is clear to me that there is no sense of direction from either side you look. We have senseless leaders because they hijacked our..

  4. ..GRZ as from 1991 to the present time. LPM and his associates are not running a true government for the people of Zambia but their own network to enrich themselves using state positions and resources.

    We must not expect our kids to have a bright future when they are being denied decent education and living conditions in all our population areas are devoid of positive infrastructure. Railways, water transport, air transport and road transport are a cornerstone for Zambia as we are surrounded by nations that have variable characteristics. It is stupid for us not to have solid systems to take care of all our needs at anytime.

  5. I was mentoring Kavindele on how to be like me but it seems your gov does not support local entrepreneurs. As early as this year i wanted to start flying my virgin airline into Zambia using my friend Kavindele, again your government are not openning the skies at the pace i want to move.
    About the Railway project- It’s your governments delay tactics not Kavi.You better wake up chaps!

  6. Indeed i agree with # 5.
    Railway Systems of Zambia(RSZ) are the one’s whose license needs revoking.The chaps r wasting our tym.They have taken all the wagons to SA and the railway systems in Zambia z a shame.

  7. The GRZ will only be ready to embark on the project when a viable private company comes on board? And in the absence of such a company then the project will not take off. Knowing these people in GRZ the project is dead and buried. Forget about that Chingola-Solwezi project seeing the light of day. These clowns are funnier than those we see at a circus. They think we cannot read between the lines. Clearly, they did not want EK to run the project. This is a clear case of Zambians against Zambians jealous.

  8. As Zambians we are really a talkative bunch, but action is hard to come by.

    I fully agree that Railway Systems Zambia (RSZ) needs their licence to be revoked, the guys are chancers and are wasting our time.

    However, EK similarly has done nothing after 3 years? Why should he continue to hold the franchise to this vital piece of infrastructure? Once Lumwana mine comes on line that railway line will make millions, yet we as a people don’t have the foresight to think that we should develop it. We are collectively waiting for Government or Chinese or some other foreigners to do it for us. Once they express an interest we will cry that our country is being given away!

  9. The Chingola-Solwezi railway is a huge project that will take a lot of resource and expertise to complete and we proably don’t have it. But imagine if someone had decided to build and operate a rail line from Chelstone to town centre years in 1991? By this time they would have developed enough expertise and possibly profits to allow them to expand and take on bigger franchises.

    My point is that there are so many opportunities for Zambians to develop personally and economically, yet we always want to start big and not build from the bottom. Someone said it previously, HH is the richest person (declared finances) yet has only $6m to his name. That is pityful in a country like ours.

  10. when a particular sector is critical to the economic improvement of the country, u dont wait for a viable private partner, u go it alone as govt and sell shares later when business can be demonstrated to attract investors. Waiting for private partners will take a long time while the govt wil keep pumping millions of dollars repairing roads being damaged by truck loads of copper concetrates and processed copper for export. Waiting is actually a huge cost to the tax payer! We better start now putting up railways in all parts of the country where road damage is largely attributed to use by heavy trucks! A stitch in time saves nine!

  11. am i dozing or what.Is this Dora Siliya,former ZNBC news caster.I hope she is not the one.Guys enlighten me.

  12. am i dozing or what.Is this Dora Siliya,former ZNBC news caster and famous UNZA commercial sex worker.I hope she is not the one.Guys enlighten me.

  13. #12 thats the thing in Zambia. pepople with the credentials dont hold posts like that. so mr intelligent if you are really intelligent then there is nothing for you. Look at the people we have in government now…the first citizen no one understands him..the spokesman he cant hold that post too.

  14. If the Dora Siliya you knew had an open-leg policy at Unza, that is History. She is a changed and respected Iron Lady now. WHOEVER HAS NEVER OPENED HIS OR HER LEGS IN ADULTERY, PLEASE, GO AHEAD AND STONE HER. I personally have opened more FEMALE LEGS and ENTERED SO MANY mines, small, big, tight, name them or define them. Had I chanced GEOGIOUS Dora, she was going to feel me. In short,
    I HAVE NO STONES TO THROW AT HER. God bless her in her NEW CHANGED LIFE AS OUR LEADER. NO MORE “SKIRT UP, PANTS DOWN, LEGS APART, KWELA PALULU MADAM NOW. ITS LEGS DOWN MADAM DORA, MORE BOMBASA. CONGRATULATIONS

  15. The intelligent and be fare,are you sure this is the forum to discuss such issues?we are talking rail line development here and one wonders were our Kavidenle is left in all this.

  16. SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE A S.L.U.T/B.I.T.C.H/W.H.O.R.E WHO HAS SLEPT HER WAY THROUGH EVERYTHING. SHAME ON ZAMBIA FOR HAVING SUCH A THING AS A LEADER!!!!!!!!!!!

  17. #10 Mwanangwa, you are spot on. I have always said. That you cannot wait for a so called viable investor to come and develop your country’s transport, communication, (etc) infrastructure. Its not like making a pair of shoes. Infrastructure is a govt responsibility. 1 blogger has rightly mentioned the idea of frenchising the systems if govt fails to run or just after fullfilling the purpose. Better still they can simply sell some of the shares to other investors-local or foreign. When they (govt leaders) talk of an enabling environment, what do they really mean if its not developing infrastructure? This is very critical. But the way it has been put, we better forget about it.

    In fact at thi

  18. …In fact, at this point in time all the rail line and roads under consideration must be almost state of the art-dual carriage rail and road networks. Rail lines must be powered by electricity. All the old rail lines and roads must be upgraded as above. This can greatly shortten the intercity distances by half or more, as well as lessen road and train accidents. This is very critical to economic development at least at this point in time if Zambia is to encourage viable investors. Toyota company has pledged $10m (lose change) because they realised our govt aims very low. That money is not even enough for a hospital for dogs, cats and other pets in other countries.

  19. …Please, can someone remind our leaders on such critical issue. Capital involved in developing such infrastructure is huge. But, bennefits are limitless. And its only the govt that can be able to borrow such funds on that scale. GOD, PLEASE, SAVE US FROM DOOMED THINKING.

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