Magoye Member of Parliament, Bennie Mweemba has ordered a local contractor engaged to construct new structures at Itebe clinic to demolish the newly built structures and rebuild the clinic within a 30 days.
Mr. Mweemba said the structure were poorly built as evidenced by the cracks on both the walls and floor.
The MP who was accompanied to Itebe by Mazabuka District Commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba and Chief Mwanachingwala said he will not tolerate contractors doing shoddy works after receiving payment from government and delaying to complete the project.
Government has released K150 Million towards the construction of a new clinic in Itebe and the named local contractor was scheduled to complete the project by October last year.
Mr. Mweemba also directed Mazabuka Municipal Council and the staff in the Ministry of Works and Supply to send building inspectors to supervise the ongoing government funded projects and ensure contractors adhered to the set standards.
And Mazabuka District Commissioner expressed disappointment and warned that government will not hesitate to blacklist non performing contractors.
Chief Mwanachingwala also urged the contractor to expedite the project to ensure delivery of health services at the clinic.
The contractor has attributed the delay in completion of the construction works to the roads that had become impassable during the just ended rain season.
He said building materials could not be ferried to the site.
In another development, Chief Mwanachingwala has expressed worry at the alarming proportions of deforestation in his chiefdom.
The Chief told ZANIS in Mazabuka today, his chiefdom would soon turn into a desert if government through the Ministry of Environment and Natural resources does not put in place measures to address the problem.
He complained that his subjects were indiscriminately cutting down trees for charcoal production because there is no punitive action taken against the culprits.
Chief Mwanachingwala said the only punishment people receive for cutting down trees is to confiscate firewood or charcoal which he said is encouraging them to continue cutting down trees.
He said as a result , most of his subjects have stopped growing maize in preference for charcoal burning which does not require fertilizer.
Chief Mwanachingwala has since called on the government to be pragmatic and avoid being rhetoric because issues of climate change are real and have already started affecting the country.
ZANIS/HC/MKM/ENDS
I know this MP and his statement now confirms to me that he is crazy…how can a clinic infrastructure be rebuilt in 30 days..hello? It seems as though he is still looking for the same shoddy job…ba mweemba tamukwena tata!
i would do the same if i were him. some contractors in zambia are so unprofessional at the expense of the community.
Send them to Germany for a course on efficient and quality construction.
#1 Stripper, the Germans would do it in less thzan 14 days and the structures will last another 400 years!
Have you visited the Köner Dom? It was completed in 1880 and it is still in ouistanding shape. No cracks (even after surviving 2 World Wars!) and the that’s 18th century architecture!
sorry, should read: Kölner Dom (The Cathedral in Cologne)…in outstanding shape.
Those are the contractors who make the zambian building industry look bad and make the Gov’t give tenders to outsiders.
That is why even engagement of Chinese contractors should not be questioned because local contractors are useless. What I foresee is that such contractors will gang up if GRZ blacklists them to discredit Chinese contractors.
And #3 Nine Chale, do you think that would be a German way of spending money wisely? Why not send a few Germans to come and teach the contractors instead of what you are suggesting_ Or are you just being a Zambian in a German land – I mean talking without thinking of the consequence?
#7 kamunyama
Ofcourse your suggestion is even better than mine, from a financial point of view. On the blogg you find that we can learn from each other, and at the very least consider each others’ advice in an effort to contribute to our country’s development.
Stay blessed.
hmmm..the presence of cracks in the wall and slabs means that the structure has out lived its life span ,before being put into use.Depending on the size of cracks,the cracks in the slab could have been caused by settlement problems (lack of adequate compaction and the general lack of knowledge of soil conditions), lack of construction joints to allow for differential settlement ,expansion and the shrinkage of concrete.This poor contractor knows nothing about the reological properties of concrete neither does he understand the hardening characteristics of concrete.The cracks in the walls were definately the extension of the cracks from the slab.The cracks in the wall been prevented if the contractor had put a ring beam in the slab.
This is what you get for attempting to handle things that overstands you.learn your lessons all you lame contractors.Its practically impossible to complete a building in 30 days,because for concrete to reach its minimal compressive strength you need at least 28 days.This means that after you cast the slab,one has to wait for at least 28days before you can build on it.During this period of time adequate curing should be done.This MP who ordered the contractor to reconstruct the works is another lame dreamer.But however,constructing in such a short period is only possible with use of prefabricated concrete structures ,which is not available in zambia.
please always use of brick force reinforcement,whenever building a wall,to assist in arresting the cracks.
That’s the way to go MP. Banyanya mashoddy works and kuchekelana. And promote that MP to Minister of Works and Supply. At least he has shown genuine concern at the wasteful atiitudes of the tunthemba contractors who could even be a gang of bricklayers hired by one of the council or works department chiefs.
# 11 Digital Smoke. i like your analysis. You could be such a great resource person for the goverment. Maybe a successful consultant.
# 4 Nine Chale, how about trying to be realistic here….you are comparing experts in Germany and hungry council workers working without the necessary equipment and knowledge….My friend Nine Chale, are you drinking this morning or what? lol.. I love you!!!
Digital,
Great stuff.but ba Stripper withdraw your statement and acknoledge the hard work of this MP who at least has time to visit developmental projects in his constituency.have you heard of people like saviour chishimba doing the same or his co lumpen from luanshya.them just play to the gallery.infact without debate most credible MPs in parliament from UPND. They bring sanity to that augast house.
On what authority is the MP ordering the contractors to redo the works. Surely he did not award them the contract in the first place, or did he? As such the contractors can only be orederd to redo the works by the authority which appointed them. “They say your feet are too big for your shoes”.
Chikuni (sounds a familiar name to me…..) and Akapondo thanks alot for your encouraging words.Chikuni dont be surprised next time you hear of Digital Consulting Engineers…lol
Great stuff and thinking from Chief Mwanachingwala…..the rest is ,in the hands of the expert opinion …..Digital smoke your writing is a bit skewed …
Here is a Pic of the Kölner Dom (my City) !! Nine Chale you are right. Stay blessed.
Jamaco and Nine Chale,,,,,,are just not being realistic…face it!
Standards should have been set before awarding the contract Mr MP. Too late, leave them alone
These are the correct people to re-elect into power. People who want to see quality work done for the money paid..
Its unfair to order the contractor to demolish to what is perceived as shoddy work. What you should ask is where were the consultants that supervised the contractors work? If the consultant is professional these things can’t happen. Please note the minister is not the one discharging the contract. His orders are contractually baseless as he is not part to the contract.
If the minister is not careful he will make government pay twice for this work. If the contractor’s work was certified correct by the supervising authority and the contractor was paid who pays for the the extra work?
Then tommoro when govt brings in the chinese, you start complaining. I mean if Digital fimo fimo can give us such a beautiful analysis of what the actual problem could be, you mean that contractor does not realise the same? I can bet you the contractor is probably a relative of some big fish. He has already squandered the money paid to him and bought himself an Isuzu!
#22 Amai Stevens, hello mama. manje, dont get carried away with relecting a person based on that drective. For all you know the MP could be worried coz the contractor is his Mulamu! You need to know what he has done in his constituency on a larger scale for you to talking about re-electing him, ka. Be careful mama.
10 Digital smoke, hi you sound like the stratural engeers we need in zambia, you have explained thiik very bultifully, please come and construct my villa anytime.
@#25, On second thought, mwakamba zooona ba Moze. Mwagamula bwino uyu mulandu. Uyu contractor limbi is a relative to the MP. if he did a bad job they are supposed to be fired. What proof is there that they will do a good job this ime.. Mwe ma Bosses imwe ba Moze, you are big thumbs up … very right!!
#26, Hi ba Honey, Kale.
Digital smoke ni makali wani efyo aleumfwika. Naine maybe he can come and help build my mother’s house in Chipata. lol
imwe guys, ba honey and ba Thenjiwe, no problem,am willing to offer consultations just get in touch.
How come our roads are either cracked or they are poorly done.Is it expertise,agreeing to do when funds arent enough or wrong awarding of contracts.
Imwe guys someone needs to ask where who the Architect was for this Pjt and where he was when such shoddy work was being done.
You ll find that the blame will point directly at somone in government who didnt do their job properly if at all!!
#21 Nsimbi,
First of all, what are you smoking!? Leave them alone, are you serious? I am sure Zambia does have some laid-down “Construction Standards” somewhere. It is up to individual contractors to familiarise themselves with these standards. For once, let us have the so called “Zambian contractors/engineers” build something that will make all of us Zambians proud. If not, these people should never mourn about anything next time they lose out on government projects. Be a little bit PATRIOTIC and build us things that even you yourselves will be proud of 20, 30 years from now. Now you wonder why the Chines are getting all the building contracts, right?
The Mp is right to give them a specified tym limit in which to finish the constraction