Transport and Communications minister Dora Siliya says increased mine activities have strained the transports sector in Zambia.
Ms Siliya said this was evident by the overwhelming strain on main roads in northwestern province due to activities of Lumwana mine in Solwezi.
She said expressed the concern at a stakeholders consultative meeting on the performance of the railway systems of Zambia and Tanzania-Zambia railway authority Friday at Mukuba Hotel.
Ms. Siliya said there was need to see how government could work with the private sector in promoting substantial investment in the railway transport sector because of the anticipated increased volume of goods when the mines start full production.
She said the challenge need to be tackled in the province for the for transportation of goods and services from the mines and other industries.
She said the volume of cargo that was coming from the mines and cement production should be better handled by the railway trans[port which could help in saving the roads from quick damage.
She said it was important for railway systems of Zambia and Tazara to find ways of improving capacity to help in the handling of the impending increased volumes of goods that would need to be transported from one point to the other.
She said the agricultural sector was also posing a huge demands in the transportation of fertilizers and the harvests from point one to points two where the railway system of transport could do better.
Ms Siliya said the economic boom that Zambia was experiencing had come with its own challenges in the transport sector and it was the responsibility of the government and the private sector to put their heads together and find solutions to the problem.
ZANIS/CN/EML/ENDS/MM
Ba Dora Siliya is so busy now, trying to get some lite.I think she is upto no something. Wait madam.. Sata is on the way
What about the roads to her poosy how come she doesn’t complain that they are strained? manone aleumfwa Dora
Kulimonesha
HK naba Punde Punde, you are the people who let Zed down, how come we talk of p***ssy and Stupid Sata when the issue at hand is the one feeding the nation, we are talking about the backbone of Zed and dull people like you go on to comment sarcastically. Its high time you grew up. Instead of thinking how yu can rule the nation one day, you still think of Sata, you HK, are you insane.
awe ba sadist naimwe cool down we are just revealing the facts as they are. don’t tell me this is the first time you are hearing about the traffic congestion on the roads to mama Dora’s poosy?
#5 what is this poosy you are talking about?
Dora Siliya, its not about seeing how to work with the private sector alone, as government formulate policies that will favour Foreign Direct Investment and the Local investments also. Look at incentives that will make a willing investor want to invest their money in that sector of the economy.
The other question for Dora, is how much revenue has been raised from this extra strain that has been applied on our roads???
Let’s acknowledge a good thing when it’s right in our faces. Dora is definitely doing her job. Her pointing this out is well within her jurisdiction. Stop hating!!
Mama Dora has a point. Decongest the main highways (L/stone-C/bombwe)and Nakonde to K/Mposhi by utilising the railway lines. Complete Mchinji as well as Chingola-Luanda benguela Railway lines. Our development depends on our transport network.
Or can we afford dual carriage ways so that heavy trucks have their own lanes? Our roads are overstretched. Remember that neighbouring countries criss cross with their goods every minute. How about toll gates in every main town?
Involve all the stake holders and keep at it. Dora, you have the nation in your head and at heart. Uli muntu mayo. ‘Educate a woman, you educate the nation.’
Dora is spot on but she & her govt should political will..
Dora is spot on but she & her govt should show political will..
Hey Madam Minister you have seen the world … we don’t have anything that qualifies to be called roads in Zed. What we have are tarred foot paths which need upgrading!
This dialogue with the stakeholder is the right approach to development in Zambia.TAZARA and RSZ (Railway System of Zambia)should have an interchange agreement on how they should operate since the two raiyway systems have the same rail gauge to easily interchange traffic at Kapiri Mposhi,so that all traffic is kept on the rail to final destination to releive the pressure on our roads. However certain traffics are best moved by rail,e.g.Coal,cement copper,fertilisers,mineral ores,etc.
Hon Dora Siliya MP,Congrats on your efforts we shall support you!!!!
Kavindele’s initiative was rejected for non performance of the contract and he is from the private sector after that no other proposals have been made public.So which private sector is the Minister trying to woo and how are they trying to woo them?
Governement should not be too keen to privatise everything let them invest in such projects and appoint competent and qualified Zambians to run such strategic investements.If the so called private investors decide to relocate to Malawi or Mozambique what happens then?
Whilst I appreciate her concerns, that is not enough we need to match the concerns with viable solutions.
No reinvestement has been made in the railway system since TAZARA was built.We have the same line from Ndola to Livingstone.
The lines linking the Copperbelt towns eg Luanshya to Ndola are non existent.
Trucks have been carrying copper ore on the highways for ever ,the wear and tear has not matched the repairs or improvemnts to the roads.
These are some of the issues the Hon Minister needs to tackle.
For examaple what incentive can be be given to LCM to rehabilitate the Luanshya/Ndola railway line? We know they need to move their copperore to a refinery (Chambishi or Ndola) so this would be in their best interest,but GOVT needs to ensure that the locomotives and carriages are available.
Government can then earn revenue by charging LCM for use of the locomotives/carriages and LCM can enjoy reduced transportation costs and possibly some tax rebates for maintaining the line
10-16 you have picked up pertinent issues and your diagnosis is excellent. The root cause is clear, lack of political will, failure to sustain viable projects like rail lines, no alternative routes in case of major transport calamity, big talk in posh hotels and hefty allowances but little action. Kasama-Lubingu road, Shangombo road to name a few a roads under construction for donkey’s years.
Revamp some short railway routes and charge the users.
Dora’s observation ought to be tabled in parliament, sooner than later. Dora and her planning officers to do some fact finding. heavy duty on railway line, please.
One would think the tax collected from these so-called foreign mining investors should go towards maintaining the damaged roads but it instead goes towards paying for Dora Siliya’s Pajero. So i don’t even see what she’s whinning about.
Improve road infrastructure assholes
Iwe Dora, let your Govt start improving road infrastructure.
It’s just tough in Zambia no one will ever do anything good in some people’s eyes.Constructive criticism is all we want but some of you just delight in insults grow up.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS SHOULD NOT JUST BE TO ONE REGION BUT TO ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY,WELL DONE THOUGH,MAYBE WE CAN STOP FISHING IN THOSE POT HOLES
Zambian leaders are known for complaining when they’ve been elected and apointed to FORMULATE, IMPLEMENT and SUSTAIN PLANS of DEVELOPMENT in all sectors of the nation (e.g. education, health, commerce etc). There goes Siliya another complained about counterfeit goods on the market. One wonders who is in charge in that gov.
Bushe ababene ba Dora baliyako ku Lumwana or she just hear about.Lumwana is complete and there is not much equipment going there. Has she been to Kasumbalesa and see those big trucks going to DRC? Ba Dora muleenda, dont just read that speech written for you by the PS
The minister’s stamement is welcome but her government has no political will to improve highways and railroads in zed.
Minister Siliya you need to get qualified geotechincal engineers who will design the roads based on thier R-values or CBR. Its not the cars, its the people who think any car can drive on any road. There are what they call traffic classification.
Yes we need to improve the transport infrastructure even if to ensure orderly and timely distribution of food. It is lamentable that in many African countries including Zambia,you can have a situation where food is rotting in one region but abantu balefwa nensala in another. That is embarrassing and unacceptable.
Its okay guys chill on the queue to that poosy
Bushe mwebantu imwe finshi mufwaya pachalo. Dora is not upto mischief, ubwafya efyo mwaba so mumona kwati bonse efyo baba. Dora is just stating a mere fact. Mukayeko ukukwine ku Lumwana by road then u will appreciate Dora’s statement.
Shani ma Zedians
@12, funny but true.
#12 Spot on mate. Glad she speaks about the rails which were sold as scrap metal by Ramcoz.
B LT ututumaflag mweleta! Awe mwe> Kwati naleka ukucontributa nomba. People will know where you are. I used to hide that I was in China now I can no longer do.
Last post by me people.
WHAT ACTIVITIES? BUILD PROPER ROADS. PERIOD. NOT THOSE RAZORBLADE ROADS BUILT AFTER THE MONEY HAS BEEN STOLLEN FOR THE PURPOSE. LOOK AT THE ROADS LEFT BY A WHITE MAN-THEY ARE STILL THERE AND VERY INTACT.
Its me. Dora build the roads and astop prostituting
So why dont you introduce a tax/toll for transportation of mine equipment by road? Use the funds to maintain and even build better roads.
Imwe guys what is poosy?
Let the mines maitain the roads as well
Where is the road tax paid by foreign truckers at entry points. Be accountable then you can complain. Do not just make the foreigners making use of the roads look bad when infact they are paying for it. You are only showing us that the road tax is diverted and not used to maintain or build new roads.
We’ve started investigating, thanks for the information.
Hon minister stop parotting. That speech was written to you by some one else. The fact is you are a journalist who does not understand the Transport mechanism and its economics.
Transport (Road,Rail,Water,Animal or Air) is the back bone of every country’s Economic growth, and you have to understand the advantages and disadvantages of every mode. Transport has negative and positive impacts not only on roads but the ENTIRE SOCIETY.
Please use Zambia’s NATIONAL TRANSPORT POLICY for guidance and stop complaining. Where do you take the Road taxes and the Over strain fees paid by these investors ? Let Hon Peter Daka who is qualified to run this Ministry…..
Dora has a point but as someone said what happens to the resources gained from the mining activities, these should be put back into road maintenance and definately a carriage way with lanes for trucks on their own. Zed has so much hidden potential but we are not utilizing it!
What Hon Minister Siliya shared was just fine; the main problem that haunts us as a nation is poor implementation. There is a great deal of talking, but very little action. For instance, Kasama – Luwingu Road (about 160 kms) has been under construction for the past, I suppose, 7 yrs with very little progress; Chilubula – Mporokoso Road is like the Devil’s playing field; Kitwe – Chingola “killer” Road still lacks a dual carriage way; Zimba – Livingstone Road (I suppose) is still full of potholes; Luangwa – Chipata Road (I presume) is still bad; Mpika – Serenje Road is also full of pits!!! When will the govt pay serious attention to our roads far from Lusaka and the Copperbelt?!
Spot on #56
#33 these flags don’t mean nothing. I am in Zed, but check out the flag ?
1.hk u’re nt wrk orriented ze btful ldy iz wrkn u’re oppozing y,we av 2 supot young bld N hd wrkn nt odz
those who ae saying possy twapapata respect women we are your morther and wives.
let these chapsd start using the railway line.roads for passengers or people.heavy equipemnt and machinery should be via railway line.
Ba dora naimwe, how do you expect things work out well. Kavindele started the rail project, you have hijacked it so satisfy your greed. Stop talking about mines contributing the bad roads and do you job without stealing. Please.
THATS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN U APPOINT A JOURNALIST TO A MINISTERIAL POSTION THAT SHE DONT EVEN KNOW.. WHY NOT PLACE HER TO BROADCASTING IF THATS A MINISTRY… BUT MWAMUTWALA KU TRANSPORTATION! IEYE TATA LOL
#44 What is # 56 saying ai??????????
Dora deserves a pat on her back for the comendable work she is doing.guys let us not shoot at pipo just for the sake of shooting/
Even if the roads to her poosy are congested so what!!that is her life..Ever snce this woman
was oappointed as minister her work hss been so impressive..lets just give credit where it is due.
stop talking and just fix the f&$ken roads….yaba!
FOOLISH MINISTER!IS ZAMBIA THE ONLY COUNTRY THAT HAS SERIOUS MINING ACTIVITIES?POOR PLANNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Rehab Livingsone/Mulobezi/Sesheke Railway —Use National Service. A reliable out let to a sea port. :((:((