Traffic and businesses were disrupted this morning in Chingola when residents took to streets to demonstrate over the deplorable state of roads in Chingola.Once known as the Cleanest town in the Copperbelt during the ZCCM days,Chingola is now a far cry from what it used to be.
Standards of living have drastically dropped despite to the booming mine industry.Trucks transporting materials to and fro the mines continue to damage roads that are clearly not designed to withstand such loads and road accidents due to heavy presence of trucks are the order of the day.
The worst roads are from town centre to Nchanga North Hospital,Central street in Kabundi South,from boma round about to Konkola road and Lulamba and Kasompe roads.
Residents this morning littered and blocked roads with rocks and stones.A heavy police presence averted the riot as youths started throwing stones.
Some residents who have lived in the copperbelt for over 20 years complained at how standards of living in mining towns have deteriorated since ZCCM.
‘Our roads are impassable and heavy congested.Its also nightmare sharing roads with these trucks and the number of accidents on our roads keeps going up.There are no road repairs going on.Who do we turn to?’one resident lamented.
A resident also complained about water and sewerage services in Chingola
‘A private company took over supply of water from the Council.Since then we have erratic water supply. Supply is not consistant during the day.We are not given information on impending shortage or interruption.The only customer care is announcements of cutting water supply due to late payment of bills
Reported defects are not attended to promptly, quite often promises are never kept.’
‘Gabbage collection is done by another allied organization. They are supposed to collect gabbage on particular days but quite often as much as three weeks pass without collection or information as to why they cannot collect.Vehicles were bought for councils for “keep clean” campaigns but they are just used as person-to-holder vehicles and do nothing to address refuse issues in the townships,’the resident complained.
U wanted Sata, u have him…enjoy his leadership………..Vote on tribal lines again…….
stanyoko, bushe nisata waonaula imisebo, temusula munobe chikal rupiya
In five months sata should start worrying about Chingola alone, i though it had MP’s and councilors? and as you may have read this problem didn’t start in september, surely the president must priorities…
Dont kudabwa u *****ts – i worked on the roads in my first 90 days in office. its dont kubeba you fools! Iam in Plot 1 – — what else do u want eh! yaba!
Stanyoko uba amalebe pamusula. Wanunka amashinsha
Awe but things are not good.
Can the PF government please draw up a programme of development, which will be strictly adhered to?
We cannot continue like this. Government after government, there is no tangible development of our nation.
Pa bwato
The degeneration did not begin when Sata became President of Zambia. It began towards the end of the UNIP era.
What we want now is a rejuvenation of our country by the new government.
#1, well spoken! Expect nothing from this Kaponya led goverment. kaili thats what you wanted!hehehe mwanyafye!
Number 1 – is the implication that MMD would have improved Chingola coz they had 20 years to destroy it. How is we now need to rebuild what once only required maintenance. Seems MMD focus was on the capital. Sad that two presidents were from the Copperbelt and turned away. The demise of Zambia in FJT terms alone appears to have made it impossible task for all who followed. This will take a while. Sorry Chingola. Just don’t destroy what remains or they’ll fix the roads and all it will be is a beautiful throughway with ugly damage around.
This is a far cry from the town I left 18 years ago! looks more like a town in a war-zone area. ZCCM used to maintain the roads in “mine areas” and on very few times assisted the municipal council. Perhaps the council does not have the capacity to undertake the repairs (most likely) why then not admit it and outsource? perhaps this way, jobs can be created. Where does the levy from the mines, Protea Hotels to name but a few go to?
#1 u truelly are an *****. sata’s been only in power not more than 7 months and you are blaming him for the problems that we are facing.infact he doing far much better than what the previous regeme used to perform. and zambians didn’t vote on tribal lines during the previous general elections.
Oh dear; what has Sata done exactly? The guy is an utter failure. He is clueless embecile. The only thing he has done is promote tribal hegemony. He has created jobs quite alright for his clan and tribemates. He is not a national leader. He is more of a regional and tribal warload!
Wapya munzi!!
this ant political protest we are crying so loud, we want to be heard. Chikala chawiso ngaulelanda paliba sata
SHAME ON MMD WHICH FAILED TO DO THE MAINTENANCE OF ROADSFOR THE 20YEARS IT STAYED IN POWER.
CHINGOLA RESIDENTS CAN YOU STOP BEING DUNDERHEADS. PF MEANS WORD AND IT WILL KEEP ITS PROMISES.
Pliz have some respect and empathy for us who r suffering here in chingola. U have to live here to understand what we r going thru. Pliz lusaka times report properly. The protest was peaceful and non violent. All the shops remained open. Pipo here just want to be heard. Ala twachula thez r not even pot holes they r trenches. U shud see the water we bath it looks likebchibuku shake shake and yet we pay for clean water. We r now resorting to buying water for drinkind coz our water is undrinkable. Pliz have some empathy.
What a shame. And it is not only in areas where trucks pass enroute to mines but it is even worse in Kabundi north townships and Chiwempala. The streets of Nchanga north and south are just too unbearable. The problem is that government has said nothing regarding the roads programme though dwelling on the previous government’s roads project
Its annoying. How come money for by-elections is there but nothing is done on Roads, not only in Chingola but else where. Africa!
The culture of taking people for granted must be fought and destroyed with “people power”. Residents should mobilise all the uncollected gabbage and dump it at the offices of the company fraudulently collecting tarrifs and continue to agitate for better services from the councils, govt etc. Enough is enough.
Here the issue is we blacks are useless in terms of selfless development. Since 1964 we have been destroying instead of improving. Look everywhere all blacks are useless. Except the bushman in Bistwana is even much better.
Zambia is useless full of boastful phd educated people but not practice of their knowledge to improve the living standards of people.
Uko !
Chingolans knows better.
Chingola is full of loaded business men. Before you buy those expensive cars think about what can be done with infrastructure.
No.1 with your fallen Minions the MMD. You are the causers of this! What is the useful life of a road, in a lateral sense its 10 years. Worse of how frequently are these Township Roads used to reach such an unrepairable state? Stop thinking like a pullet. These roads lost their accessibility in the last 25 years most of that period under MMD. How thoughtful it were for a well meaning Economist to put a proper road in all the Slums of Lusaka and forgo the Copperbelt well patterned/or designed Township than that filth of Lusaka where it floods with a simple downpour . What benefit does Government derive from these slums since they do not pay Land Rates and other social aminitie bills like us. And you leave out the well meaning Miner who is heavyly taxed with nothing to show for. Fools.
Government should be think of a bypass road for heavy duty truck from DR Congo and Solwezi/Lumwana mines.This narrow roads you have in Chingola and all Copperbelt towns is of great concern people using them.This will help de-congest the town centres and reduce on the damages inflicted on the roads.When will the Government introduces the toll fee this will help in maintains the roads in the country.
Those demonstrators must be charged with treason and a contingent of armed police must be dispatched to Chingola and open fire on them.
The problems being faced in Chingola have something to do with the culture of us Zambians. I remember 2 days ater the change of Government we saw KCM started repairing roads coz it was under pressure and we thought finally what we wanted is here. But we have gone back to the same treatment coz even the current Government is compromised.
When a problem confronts you; there are three possible solutions: (i) ignore the problem “fikaisova mentality”; (ii) confront the problem and do something about it; (iii) accept the problem abd do nothing about it.
Which ever the decision you make; results will show. In 1991; MMD took decision 3. and results are evident to you in 2012. To infrastructure planners, Zambia has been dead for 20 years while the population has been alive. You now have a backlog of 20 years of work, good luck.
solution: (i) identify areas to start work on them immediately, say 50m of roads work every week. (ii) Communicate to people the “implementation procedure” so that they are aware.
(iii) get my email address and give me a contract to plan the “implementation process” stepp by step.
#17 Continued: But if you dont want implementers, go back to Chitemene system, you are not fit to live in an organised society where everything happens not from without, but through detailed planning and implementation. yes you have planners, starting with the 1st National Developmentp plan to 5th or nth development plan; but hey, show us the nth “implementation plan”; NOTHING; just yapping all the times ba Zambia. In Nyamulenge we say ” Deeds not Words”
iwe chi batako uli matako..what has pf got to do with bad rds?? they were bad b4 they came into power now pf needs to address these pipoz concerns. mulebako serious sometimes when contributin..bcoz of yo narrow minds zambia is laggin behind.
Its shocking for Chingola to riot looking at their voting patterns.As “educated” citizens of Zambia most of you people who live in the Copperbelt and Lusaka are partly to blame because you influence the voting pattern.Honestly how on earth could you champion voting for figures like Sata and FTJ and expect socio-economic advancement?S.u.c.k
20 u r correct….they r suffering thea own consequencies
Surely any sane person will understand that this situation happened over 20 years of MMD rule.It can not happen within months of PF rule.It is too early to judge even if you are choking with loss.Mining contracts were negotiated by the MMD government. Where is the community service as promised in the contracts?Besides that the private sector does not share all the blame, they pay royalty to the councils unless this royalty is being used for other unrelated projects.The copperbelt generates more revenue than Lusaka and other places combined and yet suffers from underfunding.In conclusion without bringing PF in the picture, ask yourselves how did MMD manage the revenues from the mines?
Future of Zed under the leadership of PF is obscure. If we were to hold Presidential elections now Sata would lose terribly. He has made made mistakes within a very short period of ruling. There is too much empirical method or trial and error method of ruling.
MMD legacy
PF government have proved over and over again that they do not have a plan for leading this country nor are they geared to address developmental problems that face this country. The leader is not a nation builder? He has authored more confusion since he took office than was the state of affairs pre – September 2012! We have actually retrogressed by the day and made Bwezani smell like roses in the end. This government will end up more unpopular than MMD very quickly.
Donch kubeba on duty!!! more time needed plase all will be history.
It really amazes me when a bill collector knocks on your door to cut off water supply where there is no water supply.When you approach Nchanga north, you are greeted by a stench smell of sewer overflow from blocked sanitation tanks.Now with the increasing need of accommodation, you will find unplanned housing units built with burnt bricks doted everywhere like post colonial Lusaka.It is sad that there is an urban planner and a quantity surveyor at council getting paid for not doing work.All the tax we pay goes to pay unproductive civil workers.Why is Africa like this?
No.22 and 24, you truely have a shallow thought pattern and the worst thinkers that our education system has never produced. Think beyond, do you even have analytical skills to utter any contirbutions to the debate. These Roads have had not maintenance for over 20 years and have outlived their usefull life. That is the reason. To make matters worse the ultilization has increased with the cheap second hand cars with long over maintenance of the same. That is the Reason not PF in the picture Morons!!
Ba Big Muzo, what has poor roads got to do with your insults or worse still, education of a person? If you think you are educated, well, why didnt you use education to maintain the roads in 20 years? Imagine owning a shirt for 20 years without ever washing it; and you have the balls to ask my analytical skills sir? Well here is the answer for you. I need not have any analytical skills to live a chitemene life; because thats the life Zambians understand. Vinabwela mochedwa!! Kaunda made roads for people that had no appreciation of roads what so ever. I cannot insult you back sir, i have respect for every Zambian. Never mind my education level, just know that its what has given me an international job dealing with infrastructure. The very job Zambia could not have given me. Nga wafulwa, lobe
Service delivery is a contract between government and voters. I urge Zambians to adopt this atitude of striking to force government and civic authorities to deliver. If you are quiet, they will be stealing and plundering your money forever. Viva Chingola
# 27 You can blame UNIP, MMD, etc, but if you have a development plan and people understand where the country is going makes people hopeful …. what are you hopeful for currently? MMD government with all their faults would tell people what they want to achieve, i know mostly were lies but people heard plans not insults to other opposition leaders trying to distract people continously will not help for long. The shit will hit the fan!
the picture in the story, is in Kabundi South, where the current MP for Ncahanga stays
This is what Zambians all over the country and not Chingola alone will get for disturbing the good programme RB had put in place for fixing roads and other infrastracture. Mark my words I am not saying MMD I am saying RB! The man was focused on improving infrastracture! Ask the people in Luanshya where his program had started in earnest! The roads even in compounds are now a marvel! Well done and paved. He still had a program for Chingola though just that the bemba triablalists and their Fred Mmembe thought they need to have their own on top even if they knew he is useless!!! Satan has no plan for improving the roads or any infrastracture for that matter. He will spend money on bye elections to improve his poor number of MPs in parliament so that he becomes a fully fleged dictator.
Well said. It baffles me when people say MMD was in power for 20 years, forgetting that Satan was part of the worst MMD govt for 10 years whereas RB was part of the second MMD which brought economic growth, bumper harvests and infrastructure development which has now stalled.
I have lived in Chingola since 1975. Chingola was a paradise. Unfortunately with the advent of privatisation in the early 1990s the town is a shadow of its former glory. 95% if not 99% of the roads are in a deplorable state of disrepair. The city fathers do not do anything in regards to goods and services to the city. It is a nightmare driving on Chingola roads. Nchanga north looks like a township in war torn country. The stretch from the boma to Mwaiseni area is another hell run. I can’t blame the rioters as enough is enough! Our two MPs have just been quiet!
People are protesting because they were told that the roads were going to be repaired within 90 days of someone coming to power. This is how Zambians all over the country were lied to. Next time think before you vote. On the other hand MMD is to blame for the deterioration of those roads in Chingola. MMD must bury its head in shame.
GRZ should fine the mines on the line of railway line for using big tracts to transport copper on the roads instead of the railway line. How did ZCCM manage to keep these places in good condition that these companies with more money from copper are failing to maintain the towns. PF do something to these mining companies.
That is why ZCCM got into the financial problems that it did – paying for social welfare that it could not afford instead of re-investing in the mines themselves. It was paying for such amenities that led to people having expectations that could not be met and led Zambia to having the highest per capita debt in the world which we never repaid but had to be written off thanks to disciplined govt spending under the Mwanawasa regime. Now the buffoons we have in govt will take us back to indebtedness with their wild promises and reckless disregard of the rule of law and the tenets of democratic rule.
AB you are also an ***** ur satan promised to develop this country within 90 days,wat ar u saying fool.
shame on PF which has failed to provide leadership and reassure the people they can work..let them call for general elections..
Good!!! About 4 years ago I suggested that the local populations of towns and cities must start suing the local authorities for poor delivery of services and I was severely reprimanded. Si apa manje??? Good luck!!!
Iza kunyokolani! You voted for a dull id.i.ot. More potholes..!! By the way, more HUNGER THIS YEAR – crop harvest projections are very bad, just ask the national union of farmers who issued the statement recently. By 2013, we are back to importing food, the Kwacha will be back to K5,500 to the US Dollar and K9,000 to the British Pound. I’m sure you will keep kissing Sata’s a.r.s.e even more for your suffering, you dunderheads!!
mmd under rb had a plan called formula one to work on all urban roads…well, you took them out and the formula one is kaputi…..man of no action is more confused, at least rb in the third month he got the grip and started moving forward. sata in 7 months in government plus 10 years in opposition plus another 10 years in mmd but is till not settling down….maybe he is a can’t never….
Mwatoloka imisu mwanyata pamafi
You promised them magical solutions and more money in their pockets within 90 days, now face the music, and while you are at it just remember that you are now the government and they are rioting against PF government and not against MMD opposition.
People must stop rioting development is coming in 90 days…..
Signs of anger and discontent within the electorate. All the blind followers can think of is that its not PF’s fault, can’t you for once think that people are trying to communicate something to the leadership? I am sure even that dull man you put in statehouse will interpret this like most Kaponyas here, that it is not his fault. Think please think and read between the lines, that consistitutes wisdom lol.
90 Days are over, the MPs and Councillors are all PF in Chingola, so protest and go and Vote for PF again……lol
Do we not remember basic civics. For too long Zambia was 51% and Anglo-America 49%. We had to use our percentage for the whole nation and maintain infrastructure. Conditions deteriorated during each term but fastest during FTJ tenure and beyond. A dad legacy and nothing to do with colour. We lost too many whose education was paid for through economic migration, AIDs and unfortunately mismanaging the few who returned. I am hopeful for the future but as pointed out by Chingola resident…have some empathy. The mindset of some of you abroad resembles the picture above. Shameful. Put your nation first in good and especially bad tomes.
…times.
The deterioration was with Rupiah Banda. Kaunda left the roads with some potholes but used to send PWD to mend these but Banda just forgot about the Copperbelt because the PF were getting their votes from there. However Pabwato should just act and bring the CB back to where it was in Welensky’s time.
What a government.Demonstrations everywhere every other day.Barely 2 x 90 days in power.Not inspiring
Donshi Kubeba nonsense catching up with you Zambians now!! PF govt has done absolutely nothing in 6 months . . . nothing apart from intimidating, appointing and disappointing family and friends! KK, FTJ, LPM & RB were right: Someone is not presidential material – period!!
Let them suffer for their tribal voting, how can they vote for a grade 7 imbecilee just because he is this or that tribe?
We are just destroying ourselves,the 2012 budget starts in April,govt hasn t yet started spending,ignorance is indeed a disease
#35 you are right. The damage and neglect were done by MMD government but the PF government must have a plan and pubicise the plan to give hope to people.The Nchanga member of parliament was on news at 19.00hrs assuring us that money has been set aside for rehabilitation of roads but why wait to say this when ther’s riot.Infact his office as an MP is situated at a junction where the central road is at its worst, I wonder how he drives there. He even said work on Kabundi road has started, I wonder if he visits Chingola because there’s no work that has started
You cant just change a stone to become a fruit never it will cant happen.But you can change ice water into liquid water so you just disolve the ice.The PF is a stone it cant change it will remain a stone forever.With a stone you can just through it away when you can not make use of it.Resurface all roads within 90 days.HAAAAAAAAAAAAA
@mary …of course you would not believe what pf says..they are masters of lies…lies in the morning,afternoon and at night.but like hh said there lies will soon catch up with them.watch the space..the minister was evening referring to the formula one that the main contract will soon come to chingola..and yet the same people were criticizing the programme ….pf can,t never.
@57 Rodrik you are the one who is ignorant..the pf budget kicked in on 1st January..you possibly are talking of the changes to pay as you earn…pf can’t never.
It really boggles my mind when we heap the blame on the MMD per se as the party in power for 20 years. Much as this is true, we must really know by now what MMD comprised of the past 20 years. Just like we say that the first cabinet in 1964 comprised KK, Chona, Kapwepwe, Kamanga Mundia etc, so it is with the MMD. The MMD of the past 20 years years comprised, among others, Mr Sata, Guy Scott, Willie Nsanda, Nkandu Luo, Kennedy Sakeni, Robert Sichinga, Wynter Kabimba, and a host of other people like Alexander Chikwanda who was chief of staff at State House for FTJ if my memory serves me right. You can now add these to the former ministers now in opposition so that we understand where we are coming from. So when blaming the MMD for the past 20 years, we must have these people in mind. Hello?
## 1. keep your tonga mouth… or we will slice it open… go to angola or zimbabwe if you cant’t stand Sata’s tribe!
I don’t why some people want to leave out MCS in this mess. Firstly,the man served in MMD government and party structures for more than 10 yrs.Secondly, the PF have been running CB cities that includes Chingola since 2001.I have said this now and then, these Geriatics have no program for our beloved country. Lets be smart enough next time.
No.60. It hurts to be told the truth ai. It was all donchi kubeba and what you are getting now is part of the package. I thought No. 1 was just stating a fact. Anyway I feel for you, thats how a dissappointed person reacts.
The truth is Zambian should brace themsselves for very, very rough times ahead.
Irrational people demand more time for PF Sata to even patch potholes and forget Sata was/is MMD and was minister of local govt with Winter Kaimbwa and yet developmetal strategies are missing in PF governance. There more disasters awaiting in Zambia and the concept of education will make more sense than merely being long in opposition a record Sata boasts of as a basis for success and service delivery people voted him in power. Lets give him more time for worst things to come. Wish he can snear and protest at the opening up of Lumwanya mine initiated by MMD govt.
##1 and 62. Are you shallow minded or you have a memory degradation.., How can a wise Zambian blame the PF for the state of the roads in Chingola. We have only been in Government half a morning(01 -06am) and how long did you serve the Chingola folks? Please God help them, I hope they understand the reasoning enshrined in this text.
these upnd mentals, please!
Ba Tembo PF has been running the Copperbelt Towns since 2006. MMD only had parliamentary and council seats in Ndola and Luanshya rural….the Lamba strongholds! The mess and corruption that the Chingola residents are complaining about is directed at PF MPs like Simuusa and councillors. PF have been bosses in CB for the past 6 years!
Peopl of Cingola should think twice. If the council ask them to pay rates balakana. So were do they expect the Govt to get money. Street vending destorys systems.Mwalacimona. Just pay rates and roads will beok
Mr. Tembo, #68. Are you sure? PF has been running Copperbelt councils since 2006.
It’s surprising how people can say let’s give them time, that they have only been in govt half a morning! But the most amazing thing is that during campaigns, they were the same guys who gave themselves a time-frame of 90 days to bring dignity to Zambians. No one but themselves coined this 90 day theory, because this sure as hell was not propagated by the MMD. When PF set themselves the 90 day time-frame, this was their vision. We are now in 180 days and all we are now being told is give them time, time which they gave themselves with a time-frame of 90 days. Even for PF-run councils countrywide like Lusaka which were there during MMD, the lack of development is blamed on MMD. Yes, other areas are solely MMD failures, but we must be realistic in apportioning blame.
The mines have destroyed these roads. Their trucks pass and ferry the copper out while they plough back nothing! At least ZCCM had corporate social responsibilkity and in those days areas around mines were well maintained. The state of the copperbelt and now even solwezi is deplorable. When are we going to wake up? Instead we are being robbed daily with nothing to show for it. Who is going to pay for the destruction of our country? Is it our fault for being docile for so long? We are tired its time for a change that benefits Zambians!.
Where is Simusa and Katema, our Mouth pieces, they are quit over many issues, they used to say the MMD doesnt allocate money to our town because we support the opposition, but now you are the Government, why are you taking so long to react to this many urgent issues, we tell you as youths of Chingola, we are not happy, we demand serious consideration all else this trucks will stop passing through Chingola, Kitwe Road is an health hazard and yet nothing is done to correct the situation, where is the Road Development Agency who can fail to patch the Potholes along Kitwe Road, People are dying like Rats on this road as if the Government dont exist, Mr. President we Voted you for change and not entertainment, wake up
Yes ZCCM used to repair roads and roads leading to the mines were okay come to chingola you’ll see the road going to South and North hospitals which leads into the plant has open pits on it.They can’t even think of the injured people or the woman in labour who is driven on such a road.Kcm do some something urgently.
heeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!shame upon you!u wanted DONT KUBEBA,,BUT YOU HAVE ALREADY TOLD THEM WATS UP AGAIN?its better someone from southern,northwestern,eastern 2 complain not u pipo from coperbelt!shame upon u.never u vote on tribe once again.
WE KNOW THAT PF DID NOT CAUSE THE ROAD PROBLEMS IN CHINGOLA. BUT WE VOTED THEM IN POWER ON THE PREMISE THAT THEY WILL FIX THE PROBLEMS AS PROMISED BY ONE SIMUUSA, NOW MP OF THE AREA. DONT SHEMUNA US JUST YET. THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL TO THE LEADERSHIP NOT TO TAKE CHINGOLA AND INDEED ZAMBIAN PEOPLE FOR GRANTED. SIMUUSA SUPPORTS THIS. TO THINK ONLY PEOPLE FROM OTHER AREAS SHOULD PROTEST IS BEING A DUNDERHEAD OF THE WORST KIND.
YaYa-Ya-Ya, Ba-Chingola mulishani. ZCCM did its part and now it is our responsibility as government to do things in a different way by following the procedures. The govt of the day has a duty to repair the roads chingola town, one of the former cleanest town in Zambia. Let us take the govt to task and see ot it that the promises are fulfilled. Our country has the necessary resources for this exercise.Cheers PF GO SATA- KING COBRA BA SOMI BY MAKING PIPO. WORK.
Plse govt do something in Chingola we are really suffering water,sanitation and garbage in particular. W e are willing to work with the govt of the da.Pipo responsible should be able to do their best Councillors and the mayor. work as team and achieve the best.