Traditional leaders in Luapula Province have commended Government for releasing K270 billion for tarring the Pedicle Road.
Chief Mwansakombe of the Ng’umbo people of Samfya district said tarring the Pedicle Road will contribute to wealth creation.
He said in an interview on Tuesday that the Pedicle is an important road in the economic development of the province and the country as a whole.
Chief Mwansakombe said Government should continue improving the living standards of the people through such developmental projects.
He said President Banda’s initiative to work on the road will be a great achievement once the project is completed.
Senior Chief Puta of the Bwile people in Chiengi commended Government for its efforts to improve the lives of people in Luapula Province.
He said President Banda’s government is trying to address challenges faced by the people of Luapula, especially rehabilitating the road network.
The chief said locals are celebrating the planned tarring of the road which has an important role to play in the economic development of the country.
Chief Puta said the move will attract more investors into Luapula, as it will take less than two hours to travel from Mufulira to Mansa when the road is worked on.
“President Banda has addressed various challenges and more is being done to improve the lives of people in Luapula,” he said.
In a separate interview, Chief Nsamba of the Unga people said tarring the Pedicle Road is a major boost to economic development in the province.
He said the projects Government is implementing countrywide are very beneficial.
Chief Nsamba thanked the MMD government for undertaking several developmental projects aimed at improving the lives of locals.
“To every problem there is a solution and I believe that our problems in Luapula are being addressed every day by our President and his administration,” he said.
And Luapula Province MMD chairman Emmanuel Chungu commended Government for releasing money for the Pedicle Road.
“The initiative will help the people of the Copperbelt and Northern provinces to do business in the shortest possible time. I propose that the road be named the Rupiah Banda road to recognise his contribution,” Mr Chungu said.
[ Zambia Daily Mail ]
Jjust tar it before elections. After elections the money will dissappear!
I will belieave it when it happens. Nevertheless it is commendable develoment as it the construction of the Chembe bridge that was completed 2 years ago. However a systematic approach is needed in infrastructure development and maintenance. While the Chembe bridge is now up and operational and the Pedicle rd will be tarred the two main roads leadind to Mufulira which is the access point to the Pedicle road are being left to ruin. The Ndola – Mufulira road and the Kitwe – Mufulira road (from the Sabina turnoff) are in deplorable state. These two will have to be addressed sooner than later else the true value of a tarred Pedicle Rd and Chembe bridge will not be realised. Oh and I hope naming the road, Rupiah Banda is not a serious consideration. For one the road lies in Congo DR..
This is a LIE!!! There is no activity or sign that machinery is mobilising for road works in DRC. Who do they want to fool?This has been an old tale told from time immemorial. Until we see it then we shall believe. Only LEVY performed a miracle for Luapula by building the bridge. If he was alive yes he would long have finished the tarring of pedicle. Not this present regime.
I drove along the two roads somewhere last year. I immediately phoned a Minister I know in the Ministry of Works and Supply that the roads needed serious repairs. He told me that they were on the he cards.
@2 i am with you.
why shud zed fund this project soley? we hear this chap katumbi boasting that mwata is his chief yet the congolese cant even contribute. no wonder tuta road meant life for KK
better tar the in country roads like the imfamous mongu kalabo road than politiking in zaire
The people of Luapula should not be excited at the tarring of pedicle road, its not a free thing or a favour from MMD Govt its their responsibility to development every part of Zambia whether such is opposition hands or not. The Govt has a responsibility to provide for its citizens just like a parent in a home.
Witcraft capital will easily be accessible now,problem we going to have an influx of short people in urban areas.
When this road is tarred, luapula province will be the biggest tourist destination in few years. This will also compel the opening up of mines by investors. Anyone who has extensively visited this area will agree with me. The tarred road will also triger farming which almost non-existent in the whole province. Job creation will inherently control fishing practices which is currently putting fish in the area to ‘endangered species’. Luapula province is the most endowed province in the country with fertile land water, forestry, minerals (copper, manganese, precious stones, etc). Its got some of the best white sand beaches in the world.
Mwebantu, should we always wait for 5 years to see development in every province. I am sorry to insult the chief’s intelligence, MMD has been in power for 20 years, we definitely need change of government so that others may come and complete and plan other works for development to occur. We will go back to one party state as can be seen coz RB is still a UNIPIST.
Another dull MMD chairman Chungu. How can you rename a road to Ruphia Banda belonging to another country. Mansa – Chembe boarder is tarred and Mufulira- Mokambo Boarder is tarred. The only dust part of the road is in D.R.Congo.
I will not be surprised that Moses Katumbi, governor of Katanga province, is financing that project.
Having passed through the 70km stretch just last week and it took us close to 6 hrs,the news of tarring the pedicle road is more than a welcome development,the bridge at Chembe is a show piece and having the tarred pedicle road will crown it all,above all it will be a great relief to those of us parents who have male children at boarding schools in the Luapula Province. Kwena we cant wait to see work commencing,if it was meant to buy my vote,then I will definitely vote for MMD on this one.
You people will never be greatiful……
Yes we will never be greatful whatever that is. We shall however be grateful when Sata takes over State House from these incompetent pretenders who have destroyed access to Mufulira my hometown. Like No2 says Ndola road is full of potholes Kitwe road is full of imifolo yet someone has a job as President of Zambia atase
During the Easter my family and I drove thru TUTA to Samfya and came back thru the Pedicle. Luapula is one of the most backward provinces in Zambia. Samfya, Ncelenge and to an extent Kawambwa are just overgrown villages. Being an Architect and Urban Planner, I compared these towns to the dilapidated and neglected Mbala, they are far behind in all aspects. I do not even know which part in these towns can be called a town centre or CBD. Samfya is no bigger or better than Mpulungu, It is sad how the MMD Govt has removed development from the rural areas, and still want rural folks to vote for them. An interesting question that has already been alluded to by one blogger, How are you going to name the Pedicle road, whatever name you want, when it is in Congo?
I come from Luapula, but I dont believe the tarring of the Pedicle Road is a good thing looking at the instability of that country(Congo). Some time back, a contractor from Mufulira was hired to work on that road. On a pay day Congolese bandndits ambushed the son of this contractor, killed him and took off with all the money he had. KK saw the uselessness of tarring this road that is why he opted for Tuta. Yes it is long, but safety and security are guaranteed. SHORT CUT MAY END UP BEING WRONG CUTS. I know Mwansakombe, his son in law a retiree from Nkana was once beaten by MMD cadres so he will say yes to everything MMD.
Kasama Boy The Kwahaye boys thought Western Province was the most backward province in Zambia! That is why they were trying to join Angola! Tell ’em!
Harassment of travelersUnder Mobutu, governance deteriorated and corruption flourished in Zaire, and he saw Katanga only as a cash cow and punished it for its separatist tendencies by neglecting its development. Zairean border officials and police went for months without being paid and turned to petty corruption to survive. At first small bribes were taken from Zambians whose identity cards were not in order, but this escalated to arbitrary fines, for example, a driver might be fined for wearing a hat while his passenger was fined for not wearing a hat
The Pedicle became the major gripe for the people of Luapula Province and they assailed their leaders and officials when they toured the province, such as in a meeting of civil servants in Mansa in 1975 with President Kenneth Kau
The route by-passing the Pedicle is made longer by Lake Bangweulu and its swamps which extend from its north-east tip for 200 km to the north, and the only route had to go east then north of this system. A route south of the lake was hampered by the fact that the Luapula and its swamps there are at least 6 km wide, and the floodplain is 60 km wide.[6] However the complaints about the Pedicle were so many that the tarred 300-km Samfya-Serenje road and Luapula Bridge (2.5 km long with nearly 20 km of causeway), one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the country, were constructed and opened in 1983. The Mufulira-Mansa distance by this route is 718 km, still a lot longer than the Pedicle route but saving 448 km on the Kasama route. From Lusaka and southern Zambia to Mansa the route is v
Hurru up,so that stupid pipo can vote for for u,ruuun Banda run
#18 Nzelu It is not Kwahaye! Please it is Kwa Hae!