President Rupiah Banda yesterday flagged off the outstanding construction works on the K1.25 trillion Mongu-Tapo-Kalabo Road and underscored Government’s commitment to reducing poverty in the country through infrastructure development.
Speaking in Kalabo yesterday, President Banda said his aim was to work hard to ensure that poverty was reduced in all parts of the country as soon as possible.
“My aim is to reduce poverty in the rest of the country and I will do so in every part of the country without discrimination.Western and the entire country,” he said.
President Banda told the crowd of people that attended the groundbreaking ceremony at Tapo, 34 kilometres from Mongu, that the financing of the road would be done through a concessional loan from China.
“Government is determined to ensure that the project is completed in good time. Above all, the Government will ensure the road is of high quality to stand the test of time,” he said.
He said the Mongu-Kalabo Road project was of great importance to the country as it would connect Zambia to Angola, thereby facilitating easier movement of goods to that country.
“You will recall that in 1966 the Government of the Zambia decided to construct a road that would connect the country to the neighbouring countries of Congo DR and Angola.
“It was only in 2002 that a contract between Government and Consolidated Contractors Company of Kuwait was signed to construct the 74 kilometre bituminous road between Mongu and Kalabo at a contact sum of US$39.7 million,
“Unfortunately during the 2003/2004 rainy season, high floods were experienced which caused some sections of the embankment and a number of culverts on the 34 kilometre stretch of the flood plains to be washed away,” he said.
The president said he was however, happy to be in Kalabo yesterday to witness the resumption of the construction works on the road which would cost K1.25 trillion.
“On average the cost of building a tarred road in the rest of the country is K5 billion per kilometre, here because of the complicated terrain it will cost K60 billion per kilometre,” he said.
Mr Banda thanked the Chinese government for accepting to finance the road project to be undertaken by Chinese company, AVIC International.
He said Government is determined to ensure the Mongu – Kalabo Road is completed within the stipulated timeframe.
Mr Banda said donor countries supported the country because the Zambian people were peaceful and deserved the help.
He said he was aware there were some grievances but that these should be resolved amicably.
Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane said the groundbreaking ceremony was a demonstration of the Government’s commitment to develop infrastructure.
He said once completed the road would open up the country to Angola and the rest of the world.
“We have seen roads being constructed, schools, hospitals and clinics. The country will remember you (President Banda) as a leader that provided infrastructure,” he said.
Works and Supply Minister Mike Mulongoti said he was happy that President Banda was fulfilling his campaign promises to the people of Western Province by working on the Mongu-Tapo Road.
Road Development Agency (RDA) board chairperson Luambe Mondoloka said the agency had so far secured 40 bailey bridges for incorporation in the Mongu- Kalabo Road.
He said because of the scarcity of resources from the treasury, a loan had to be obtained from Exim Bank of China to finance the road construction.
Western Province Minister Sikwebele Mwapela said the people in the province were happy with the many projects the Government was undertaking.
“It is the desire of the people of the province to give you another five years so that you can move the country forward,” Mr Mwapela said.
[ Times of Zambia ]
Good job RB. You are leaving a legacy never ever imagined, especially for your poor sisters, brothers, uncles, etc in western province. You have made history. Keep it up RB. VIVA RB VIVA MMD. The province is behind you
Good News
since 1991, the mongu kalabo road has been under construction and dimwits like #2 call it good news. mwanya lelo litunga na zanda, he wants his land back to the original agreement
oye, oye oye, che guavara whatever dude. Remember the last person who touches the ball before the goal is scored is deemed the scorer. The groundwork might have been laid before, but it the current President who did the needful to get ahead. Sounds like you had drink of expired dated kachasoo. Let the man work, sometimes someone brings good luck, Mr.President is Zambia’s muse, so get with the program.
No need to thank him. The money that was being used to work on that road did’nt come from Rupiah’s pockets-it’s tax payers’ money. After all we need good roads anyway.
Why thanking the Chinese gov.? The money is not for free. We will have repay it back.
2011 bwezani, bwezani banda, bwezani, rupiah banda. kima lozi you thing sata could have done this if he was president, impossible. maybe HH or milupi so no experiments the bird at hand is better than that one in the bush. bwezani, bwezani rupiah banda
I am concerned, what are these Chinese upto in Africa? If we’re not careful we’ll eventually be displaced from our own land. Thats how colonialism started. There is a Bemba saying, “Ukupoka ichinsenda ku nkoko, kunakilila.”
It is just a campaign gimmick. After elections the project will be stashed in the dust bin where it belongs. Can the Lozis accept and believe a road that has taken 45 years to complete in 10 months? Then believe Sata’s 90 days miracle.
K1.25 trillion on that road.This is nonsense.What economic benefit will that road bring? Rupiah’s campaign mood is making him unreasonable.A concerned person should have postponed that to attend to his cheating death ministers
@ #3 ati “Litunga na zanda” ….Lol! just wondering why ba LT balizee on the issue.
#9 and 10 thats why your dull leader will never rule zambia bcos he doesnt appreciate good things. pipo of zambia are sensitive to selfish and unthankful pipo. aint lozi but i know that road will greatly improve life in barotseland in particular and zambia in general. you will keep gnashing you teeth ba wopandanzele and galeedo or dojavu
Sam1 has to finish that road whether with a Chinese loan, our tax payers or not. Next chavuma-mutanda, kashikishi-chienge, Lukulu-Kaoma, Samfya-Milenge, road to Mambwe, Sesheke- Senanga. We all need good roads just like friends in the city.
#1, #2 and #12 – you seem to be blindly supporting this bull….t. For your own infromation, spending K1.25 trillion kwacha equates to about £150 million there about. To contruct a 74km road means you are spending more than £2 million pounds on every kilometer or even worse £2000 on every metre. Just to put you in perspective trunk road construction in developed countries where running costs are much higher just costs a fraction of that. While Zambian companies should be constructing this this road, the chinese are being allowed to get away with profits of more than 200% only to paid for in future by us while RB is long gone. Him and his family will share any back handers in this contract while lady gaga thinks its ok. No one is against development but it should be done in the right manne
# 12 Lady gaga,what is your reasoning? It appears you are looking for attention.well you going to be noticed if articulate issues using your brian not your crotch.
If cats were horses sometimes,i think we would all own one. What kind of a concessional loan is 1.25tr for a road of 75km? Well,since the abuse of office clause is being delected with the help of one RB, i will not be surprised that we are indebting our beautiful country. The recent presented bugdet in a way sougt to get us out of this dependancy syndrome, but one the other hand,we are really getting there with both hands silently. Just because its a loan one must not jump & take it,there r consquences. Western province people bali shishita,it wil not even take a 1/3 of that money to be spent there,the rest will go into pockets & someone will be free from prosecution. For 60M per KM,its absurdity! I hope people can read in between the lines of this govt’s propaganda!PEACE.
What happened to the money spent on the washed away portions. Who will pay for it? And the K1.25 trillion? Where is the money coming from?
Howashawayw I wish they explained how they will avoid what happened (2003/2004 washaway) when CCC worked on this road. The bailey bridges they are talking about, aint they the same ones they used on the bridge which was washed away in southern province is it in maamba area. So are they going to dismantle the bridge and faily back the bailey components back to Kalabo???
This is the worst PR stunt I have ever come across in my life. Every Zambian knows that starting off something and completion are two different things altogether. There is a building standing in the middle of Lusaka which has up to date not yet been completed.
I don’t know who advised RB that if he flag off the start of the Road works, he would be seen as a working President.
GROW UP. ZAMBIANS CAN NOW SEE THROUGH YOUR LIES BECAUSE THEY ARE NOW OUT OF THEIR SLUMBER
K60 billion per kilometer????????!!!!!!!!!!!! Is this an exaggeration or what??????? No matter how bad the Terrain is!!!!!!!
#15 wanzelu if I say your dull and empty tin of a leader will never rule the majority of us voters agree with me and the minority non voters bakaboyi in USA will call me names. you keep refering to my gender that wont shut me up. cant you debate as a man if you have balls or just an empty scrotum
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Why not just building another ‘UTH’ and ‘UNZA’ in Western province in that K1.25 trillion rather than a road that will likely to be eroded and blown away by even a mere whirl wind because of shawdy works by these Chinese ‘INVESTORS”.
K1.25 trillion? Thats too extravagant!
On #23, I meant ‘shoddy’ and not ‘shawdy. A thousand apology.
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Yeh I really don’t know what to say let me drink a few I will be back
The road will bring high scale business trade. Traders from Eastern Angola, that Moxico, Kamacupa, Lunda norte, even Kinsasha take 3-4 days to drive to Northern Namibia’s boader of Oshikango to buy expensive RSA goods because Namibia has developed a proper export Zone to facilitate movement of goods to DRC and Angola. With this road, traders from Kinsasha in DRC and Eastern Angola have two options to acces goods, either through Kalabo road to Comesa in Lusak or Kalabo road to Katima mulilo in Namibia. It only takes hours, not days as the case is now. Remember Angola and DRC have very strong combined buying power in terms of population and the USA currency they both use. So wake up and stop blaming governemnet for such developments.
And this is October, anyway with an iota of sense will tell you that nothing will be done on this road until maybe August next cos the rains are starting!!!!
2011 NI HH…CHABEE,,,,VIVA HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
RB IS NOT SENCIRE,,,,THAT ROAD MONGU -KALABO UNDER MMD WILL NOT BE COMPLETED,FOR SURE RB IS JUST POLITIKING…BUT LOZIS WILL NOT BE FOOLED THIS TIME AROUND…WE WANT CHANGE,,,,VIVA HH….VIVA UPND..GOD BE WITH US ALL…
#15, WANZELU,
Walasa!
if rupiah pulls this one.. he defintely deserve my vote.. Sata alala, HH keep it up dont give Sata the chance to rule this country
As long the Mongu-Kalabo road doesn not pass thru Senanga road,it will never work for it to pass thru the plain…beleive you me….it will be every year flaging it off…but this time we won’t be cheated anymore..so us we are for UPND….and the leader HH…
Viva MMD. I am 100% sure that MMD will win. The usual vote splitting is what will kill all of u blind followers who don’t realise that developement to infrastructure and roads is key to business growth.RB is busy campaigning while u discuss gay rights with homos like Guy scott and bisexuals like sata.
US THE MAJORITY ZAMBIANS ARE VERY TIRED OF MMD…20 YEARS IN POWER WITH POOR LEADERSHIP RESULTING IN HAVING MAJORITY POOR CITIZENS DUE TO LACK OF EMPLOYMENT…POOR SALARIES..NO GOOD HEALTHY FACILITIES..EDUCATION VERY EXPENSIVE,,,,,NO ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER….SO WE WANT CHANGE…2011 WE VOTE HH AND UPND…VIVA HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
#33 how is the world do u expect to win MMD as UPND alone or as PF alone or as milupi and his party alone. Hahaha. Thanks to people like u, MMD will keep on winning. U can. Viva MMD. Ukusalangana kwenu ensansa shesu. Thanks in advance. Viva MMD.
#25 I am very glad that the truth chakubaba, chakukalipa, It hurts.
THE TRUTH HURTS AND NO AMOUNT OF INSULT WILL CHANGE WHAT IS CLEARLY A VERY PAINFUL TRUTH
Come may what..Zambians will VOTE OUT MMD and VOTE IN UPND….ki HH fela
To our fellow Zambians, we are not just against RB but surely what type of a road costs K60 Billion( +- 100 million Rands a kilometer) . Bane mweba soma Science and Engineering enlighten us on this one. We dont want those giving us uncertain future benefits, the cost is out of this world. # 27 Tazani, We have alot entries/borders with Angola and DRC and we have not benefited much as you put it therefore it is economically unwise to put so much money into a project looking at future benefits from those two countries. Give us other points.
NI HH CHABE…KI HH FELA MWA LIZOHO FELA…
MMD campaigners who some of them are bloggers on LT advised RB to launch this ZmK1.25 trillion, 74 kilometres road project as a sign that he is a working president. Undernearth, there is a lot of personal financial interests. These Chinese give the Zambian government this loan with the condition that the project will be done by a Chinese company at unreasonable profits, shared with MMD for campaign funds and the Zambians will have to pay back this money. All big jobs on this project will be done by Chinese firms. The excessive profits by the Chinese contractor will be externalised back to China to be lent back to another foolish Zambian project. This is not how you can develop, we are just getting caught up in another debt burden after the HIPC completion. May JEHOVAH GOD SAVE US!
Why in the world is this prez always smiling and laughing. Is he happy with the situation in the country as whole or just never sobber!!!
Country men and women, We are blessed with the Greatest leader in Africa. Let us give RB a second term to finnish his projects please. The choice is ours. Zambia need this man more than he need it. I rest my case.
I LOVE YO SMILE MR. PRESIDENT.
I have noticed that 75% of the comments above are in support of MMD the rest is opposition.
That’s great. Clearly for the Lozi vote in 2011. I guess he will go around Zambia finishing up outstanding projects in order to ensure he gets the peoples’ vote in 2011. Not sure that this strategy will work this time.
US LOZIS WE ARE FOR UPND AND HAKAINDE HICHILEMA…HH…FOR FREE EDUCATION,,,BETTER HEALTH DELIVERRY..GOOD PAY FOR ALL,,,MORE JOBS FOR THE YOUTHS…CLEAN WATER FOR ALL,,,GOOD MARKETS FOR FARMERS,,,GOOD ROADS,,,GOOD AND CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR BOTH LOCAL AND FOREIGN INVESITMENT,,,RESPECT OF RULE OF LAW,,,VIVA HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH VIVA ZAMBIA
Kwa hae,mwa 2011 lu votela fela HH….ki HH fela
NO DOULT 2011 NI HH CHABE,,,,,MMD ZWAAA…UPND….HH 2011,,
2011 RB AND MMD,,,ZWAAAAA,,,,,2011 VOTE FOR HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAND,, UPND
LUNA LUBATA KUCHINJA MUBUSO,,,,WE ARE TO CHANGE GOVT,,,COME 2011 WE ARE VOTING FOR UPND,,,AND PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA…VOTE FOR A BETTER VOTE FOR HH IN 2011..FREE EDUCATION FOR ALL,,,,
NI MWAECHE FYEEE,,,UNDER 5 FYEE…..VOTE FOR THE PACT,,,VOTE FOR HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Nebo nga chakutila ba PF elyo naba UPND bakaana ukwampana pamo, ninshi bonse babili baloba ilyauma, nkafotela fye aba bene bamukukulu bamunshibila nsala ba MMD. Epela.
#45 what u see is a true reflection on the ground. A lot of us literates support MMD. Most of the people on this blog are foreign zambians who think what is happening in zambia is what the post says while the work 16 hours a day and make just enough to pay rent and buy junk food. We are here and can see what’s on the ground.
There should surely be a more cost-effective way of siting that road. A longer route on dry ground will certainly be cheaper to build & maintain and even more durable. Thinking seems to be very painful exercise for some people.
#54 How zambians abroad live and support their families is irrelevant in this instance and not releated to the issue we are discussing. You consider yourself to be literate but I very much doubt that , given you believe the only sourse of information is a newspaper. I for one I am Zambian and not foreign but I live abroad – you see the distinction? I know about what is happening back home through all available media, including visiting from time to time. I will respect your half baked literacy if you could at least argue intellectually the need to spend £150 million on a 74km road that has had $39 million already spent on with nothing to show for it. Or at least respond to my earlier blog above.
tazani, one of the few people thinking on this blog. This road is crucial for not only Zambia but the whole region of eastern, central and southern africa. just like in 1975 when the brits and all the whites refused to build tazara, KK and the chinese had the vision to persevere and build tazara which today the same ***** whites now want to be involved in privatising it!! people have some pride in yourselves instead of always signing like a white mans parrot. this road once finished will bring immense opportuinuties for cross border trade. NOTe it goes across a plain that floods regulalrly hence its high expense as it has tio be elevated above a certain normal level and the chines just like they did with tuta bridge will do a great job. stop hating please
22 Munthu
This is not about Thandiwe Banda. Move on and stop wasting time on your bitterness and Jealousy. Have a life…..
The First Lady (Thandiwe Chilongo Banda) was 31 old when RB made her pregnant. She was way above her to know what she was doing. He was at the farm at the time and she was a teacher by then. She now has a Graduate Diploma in Business & IT from the Australian University and now doing her degree program.
She does not need to do it in her position. However, she comes from a family that value education. Her father studied in the UK way back in the 1960’s. I was there when she graduated with my half sister last September from the Australian University
Talking about immense opportunities, if this became Mongu – Senanga – Kalabo road, it would connect more areas for more opportunities to Zambians & a more reliable road though a bit longer.
#56. Builiding a road in the terrain such as the Mongu-Kalabo road is a different ball game altogether. The road and cannot be compared to normal roads. That was the reason why the earlier one was washed away. well learned people have done their homework here and this is for then good of all us resident Zambians here including the relatives u visit when u come here. Personally, I dont care who does the job as long as they do it right. The current government is very frank by saying they will spend 1.2 trillion. a proper road needs money. 2000 USD per meter is nothing. The material going there is massive. they need to build massive thick slab to counter the sandy terrain. that is tonnes of cement and other material per meter. i am happy for my mbuyas in the west.
#56 – Thanks for your comment my brother and I understand where you are coming from. I should enlighten you that I speak as a professional in this field for more than 12 years. You do not to build a slab and you never use cement in this instance. You use a subbase of crushed stone just as in any other road contruction but in this type of terrain you just thicken the layer. Thickening the layer does not constitute the rise of costs to about 6 times. Let me know if you wish for more info on road construction and I will give you a link.
Criticism only makes sense if it is constructive. Any wmpty head can utter the rhetoric some of the imbeciles around here utter. Friends, zambia is developong and that’s actual and factual. Whilst being political hooligans of stupid pacts is permitted in a freedom of society environment, recognition must be made of the strides ba RB is making to truly make this a better place.face it, You can’t drive to kafue without meeting atleast 2 abnormal loads heading to the mines; hospitals and schools are being built enmass; roads etc etc. A whooping 10000 cars are registered quarterly in lusaka alone. Things are changing.
Mr Banda thanked the Chinese government for accepting to finance the road project to be undertaken by Chinese company, AVIC International.
Actually he meant for sending us gun totting ex-cons to shoot HH supporters in Maamba. If this happened in Eastern Province, you would have heard comments from Ronnie, Mulongoti (before he even assesses how he survived the plane crash, to appease his boss), Mangani, Dora and all other useless so called leaders in Zambia. Even those so called church leaders are quiet about this incident. Why?
Olo ni nhkuli, neo ningabvulilelini mzukulu. Nimaloza kwasu. Mwamva a Copperbelt Joint @#58
#56 and #61 Amayama, your reasoning is excellent and your honesty admirable. You most certainly won’t win over the likes of FATHER CHALILOWA, they simply are products of the Kenneth Kaunda school of Rhetoric. Their school of thought leaves one wondering what hope there is for development. The very notion that the educated and the ruling class should not be questioned or challenged is ludacris. Further, it beats me how sound minded Zambians fail to acknowledge the role that foreign residing Zambians play in trying to keep politicians honest. The very politicians they support would rather imprison us than engage us in civil debate for they understand that we are enlightened and not intimidated, and pose a huge threat to their thieving ways. Amayama I applaud you.
#61. Are u one of the constructors we read about everyday who build sub standard roads. Things have changed my man.
Concrete roads have an excellent track record as a cost-effective investment. Rigid concrete roads outperform typical tar roads with economic and safety benefits and has less impact on the environment. Tar roads are often selected because they are perceived to be less expensive than concrete. But planners are now beginning to recognize that tenders for road infrastructure projects should include a life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) component, based on the estimated costs of a project over its entire service life. When this concept is applied to maintenance, rehabilitation, reconstruction and salvage value of pavements, life cycle costs are evaluated, as well as initial…
CONTINUED costs, revealing the full expense of the selected material. Over the life of a highway, concrete performs better on all counts.” Don’t go around telling us that cement is not used. This will be a modern robust road.
IAM SAYING ,,2011 ITS HH FOR PRESIDENT….VIVA THE PACT,,,VIVA THE PEOPLE…
K i HHHHHHHHHHHHH fela…..alubotele hakainde hichilema ni upnd
I will only praise RB and Govt when the project is completed as this will have huge economic benefits for the people of Barotseland who deserve some development for once as well as our brothers and sisters in Angola who will be linked to Mozambique by road. As for now it appears to be a PR stunt and hope that the rains do not wash away the road. Question is when do they start as the rains are just around the corner.
Ba Deja Vu and company, you guys are looking for State House for your boss. That is why you see campaign in everything. Well for starters, the Choma Namwala road is complete, ask the people there if it was a campaign gimmick? They will tell you no problem, RB completed the road so campaign or no campaign 2011 tulavota ba Rupiah. And the Lozis have watched while Banda was completing Choma Namwala well before elections, and they will tell you campaign or no campaign we trust Rupiah to deliver and to ensure that happens luka votela bo Rupiah come 2011. And what are campaign promises and manifestos for anyway if not to be carried out? I do not mean the mythical 90 days which cannot be done.
70, just leave the rest to the experts.
Just imagine Jacob Zuma commisioning each and every road been constructed in South Africa. His daily will be full 365days/ year just on road and without completing the Inspections. This I’diot of a caretaker president does not have anything else to do in this country.
72 What do you mean by experts? is it expert meteorologists or politicians?
Okay ladys and gentlemen, the case is closed. NEXT!
JACKSON Mwamba is lying in the shade of a lantana shrub outside his two-roomed house, staring blankly at nothing in particular. He can’t speak. When he wants something, he just groans.
It’s now been two weeks since Jackson became very ill, explains his wife, Gertrude, sitting beside him.
At the local clinic, Jackson was put on anti-retroviral treatment, but his condition only got worse. Now, he is an emaciated figure with sunken eyes lying helplessly on a reed mat.
Gertrude wants to take her husband to Kabwe General Hospital a few kilometres away, but she doesn’t have the K20,000 to pay the taxi fare.
“I have no one to help me to carry him; it’s only me and my grandmother so how can I manage?” asks Gertrude.
Sitting playfully and carefree with their parents are 17-month-old…
US ZAMBIAN WANT NEW GOVT.COME 2011…HH AND UPND ARE TAKNG OVER GOVERNMENT…VIVA HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH