Government has signed a contract with a Chinese firm for the re-construction of the Independence stadium which is expected to gobble US$ 87 million.
Works and Supply Minister, Mike Mulongoti said the contract was signed last week and the contractor was expected to go on site by next week.
Mr. Mulongoti said in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today.
He said US$ 87 million would be spent on rehabilitating the stadium to have a 50,000 seater capacity.
He said construction works on the 40,000 seater Ndola stadium were also progressing.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mulongoti has said works on the Livingstone stadium would not commence as Government had not put the project on its priority list.
He said it was prudent that Government concentrated on the two stadia before embarking on the Livingstone stadium.
The independence stadium has not been operational after it was declared unfit by the world football governing body FIFA.
ZANIS
Good development. We need good infrastructure in Zambia. This is a step in the right direction.
good work
Ok…..the china man is working after all.
We know that zambia has been sold to chines…..mwaamba ukuwamya lilya mwamona ama elections yaba mupepi.
Just pull down the whole thing and start chipyachipya. There is nothing to renovate there. Mind you this stadium is in the capital city; we need a new stadium otherwise just leave it like that until there is enough money for a new and modern independence stadium. Lets use the money wisely by building a new stadium.
I wish we had these elections everyday!
Pact guardian well put, suddenly the govt is in a hurry 2 develnp our country.it will also b wise 4 rb 2 do smthng tht we wil o b remembering him 4 aftr 2010.
Pact guardian well put, suddenly the govt is in a hurry 2 develnp our country.it will also b wise 4 rb 2 do smthng tht we wil o b remembering him 4 aftr 2010 if of course he will b able 2 manage wth the few months hes remaining with.
Its nice to hear news about development, But $87m mwebantu??? Is that another chinese loan…Why can’t use that money to build colleges and Universities. Finish the Ndola stadium and use that for International matches. Or use that money to fix UTH so you can stop sending your relatives and friends to Morning-side mukufwa
As long as politics dont hinder the progress, i applaud the idea of upgrading major stadiums in the country especially in all the cities. Unless govt invests fully in sports, Zambia will never achieve any meaningful results. Improving infra-structure will definitely attract hosting of major sporting events such as Africa Cup, etc.
87 million US dollars :-?
Something stinks. For the amount these chaps are willing to renovate a dilapidated stadium like that. We must be talking state of the art ish.Please put that money to good use. Renovate some feeder roads or something.
What happened to the first contractor? He sneaked away with millions? Hope it comes to fruition.
This is not re-contraction-its re-re-re-construction.
The money is collosal, we should work on Putting up stadiums that can be easy to expand in future. The design should take care of that. Zed population is growing hence my request. Also it must have suitable space for a running track for use by runners, athletics. Zambia can only bid to hoist a major showpiece like all africa games and AFCON only with good infrastructure. we failed to cash in on the world cup. Aaah now, we have failed in a year to build a small bridge near misisi shanty compound, a bridge across the Kafue road such a small project taken a year. What more a stadium? Kaya!!!!
South Africa built world class stadia without China getting involved. Why do we as Zambians only think that Chinese are good in such projects? SA may have used own funds but is China the only source of funds with good terms? We can not put all our major projects in one busket.
georgeWbush #11 unfortunately thats the way it is. Foreign contractors have found pa Zed fertile to steal money. After one company milks us, they bolt. Change the name to something and re-bid for the same Job at thrice the initial amount (since they already know who to oil). They bolt again with dollars after a few months. The cycle visious. later they are again Single Sourced under another name. Aah this is tiresome, let me sleep!!!!
great news mike mulongoti we need development. let them talk while we work and the silent voter will know were to take the vote. ba kaponya its jaw jaw jaw sour grapes. they even develop diarrhoea whenever govt launches a new developmental project. like the majority of bloggers on this topic lets learn to appreciate when due. negative criticism you gonna die with envy
INDEPENDENCE STADIUM WAS BUILT WITHIN A FEW MONTHS WITH THE SOLE PUROSE OF HOSTING INDEPENDENCE CEREBRATIONS AND WITHOUT THE FORESIGHT OF BECOMING A MAJOR SPORTS VENUE. IT HAS HOWEVER SERVED BOTH PURPOSES AND OUTLIVED ITS TIME. BUILD A BETTER STRUCTURE FROM THE SRATCH
hospitals don’t have enough doctors/nurses, nor enough medicine but priority becomes stadia and mobile clinics (those cant be hospitals) what a shame!!!!!!!
How I wish our political talk was in this direction 24/7/365, well done Officials and Staff at the Minitry of Works and Supply. I hope the design is up to international standard. God Bless Zambia!
Just put up a brand new stadium please mwebantu.
Next time, don’t let those guys put up dragons on the entrance of these stadiums.
Put the black power hand punching the air. . .
About time – this embarrasment of a stdium should go.
@13 (Motsepe) – Yeah they did that in RSA and paid through the nose.
Sure. Why not revamp UTH so that the guys die here instead of Morningside? A lot more will be saved by improving our health services locally.
The Ndola Stadium should do since it will be nearer than the Konkola one. We do not need Independence stadium right now. We need improved medical services locally. By the way, not mobile ones.
As a matter of interest, where are they going to stationed? If they are going to be real mobile, how are the people going to know where the hospitals are at any particular time?
Please somebody advise
Ba nambala 8, life is not just colleges and universities. Thats why projects fail because you divert money meant for something to other projects that have not been planned for. I for one, would love to see a situation were modern stadiums are built in all provincial capitals.
This is good news and i agree with #23. Some people earn their living by being sportsmen. So the Govt must support anything that helps some one earn a living of caurse not bad vices.
how many times are we going to be told of these re-construction agreements??? this statements have been coming here for 4 years now but nothing has been done at Independence stadium.!!
Ukutumpa ba GRZ. Livingstone stadium not put on priority? You keep delaying constructing stadia by the time you wake up the cost of one would be equal to two. Why can’t you make four stadia at goal? Lack of funds is out! We have a lot of money. RSA built many and so did Angola. Stop joking make one in Kitwe and another in Livingstone. Later, we should have more in provincial headquarters. Again, ukutumpa ba GRZ. Mulebako serious.
Our leaders madisappointment sana. Can we beat their backs? How can we do that so that they can learn?
Looking at the blogs, I cannot but think that as Zambians we have our priorities wrong, and it has nothing to do with the government. How can you be happy about borrowing money to build a football stadium when you need help to feed yourselves? How can you not realise the importance of expanding access to healthcare when millions have no access? What do donors think when they see you spending millions of dollars on a stadium when you require help to immunize children? Hope you enjoy watching football while dying through lack of medication in your hospitals!
The mobile clinics came attached to this stadium! UTH and medical staff need looking into, seriously!! Roads also need attention, bit of course GK and RB use helicopters to travel so need to do the roads. Livingstone is a South African town by the way so no need to bukld anything, unless MMD have got it back? List is so endless with this useless GRZ! Uranium will be given to Gadaffi soon.
No. 28 ati I will not build a house to live in today because I need to spend the money on food? Very good Zambian way of prioritising.
I will only appreciate wen works start and completed because in Zed politicians hav a tendency of just talking… If am not mistaken this is not the first time hearing that the Govt has engaged a Chinese firm to reconstruct de stadium… Come on pppp
i agree with # 23&24 because when the government is spending on projects this improves the economy and a lot of people get employment and this means that money will be in circulation because alot of people will be spending…A lot of people rely on there talents for them to improve they need good infrastructure.i like this ka say keep talking while us are working..keep it mr.mulongoti and the government at large..