Government is planning to connect Zambia’s only port, Mpulungu, in Northern province to Kasama by a railway line in order to enhance the transportation of goods into and outside the country.
Transport and Communication Deputy Minister Panji Kaunda said government will soon commence the construction of a railway line which will link Mpulungu to Kasama, branching off from Nseluka area.
Colonel Kaunda said Mpulungu port has a strategic importance to the country as it was an exit and entry point for goods to and from countries in the Great Lakes region.
He said government has realised that besides it being important to the great lakes countries and to Zambia, Mpulungu port was the hub of the economy in the district hence the decision by his ministry to redesign and expand it to international standards.
He reaffirmed government’s commitment to ensuring that the harbour was redesigned and connected to the provincial headquarters by the railway line which he said would be constructed soon.
Col. Kaunda is in Northern province with the traffic enforcement joint operations team to conduct motorized traffic operation in order to educate and punish erring motorists using Zambian roads.
Earlier, Mpulungu District Commissioner, Juliana Chuzu called for the establishment of a Road Traffic and Safety Agency (RTSA) office in the district to facilitate the issuance of the drivers’ licenses to motorists.
Ms. Chuzu said Mpulungu was expanding fast economically and the demand for drivers’ licenses was increasing because many residents have bought vehicles for both business and domestic use.
She said vehicle owners and drivers were paying a lot of money to get drivers’ licenses and other documents as they are required to travel to the Kasama RTSA office which is over 200 kilometres (km) away.
Ms. Chuzu noted that there were a lot of motor vehicles in Mpulungu district which are not
registered hence the need for government to urgently establish RTSA offices or introduce mobile services to the area.
She has since commended government through the Rural Roads Unit (RRU) for the construction of rural roads and the rehabilitation of the Mbala-Mpulungu and Kasama road.
She said the unit was doing a good job on the rural roads but appealed to government to equip RRU with adequate equipment so it can continue working on roads without being interrupted.
ZANIS
my working government…..lets go!
You call talking working?
You sily guys ve failed to complete rail m’chinji in eastern province yet u are ranting about a new project
You are mad,the MMD failed to finish the mchinji railway not the PF muletontonkanya before yapping!
Positive move.
THAT’S THE PROBLEM ABOUT DREAMING. SOMETIMES PEOPLE TALK IN THEIR DREAMS WITHOUT KNOWING THEY ARE BEING AUDIBLE. WHEN THEY WAKE UP AND YOU TELL THEM WHAT THEY WERE SAYING, THEY ARE IN SHOCK THEY SAID SUCH A THING! HAHAHAHAHAHEHEHEHEHE
KEEP ON DREAMING PA FWAKAs
The beauty about dreaming is that its free.
If we people had to pay for dreaming some people (You know who )would go bankrupt for the second time in their lives
Decentralization or devolution or better still federal system of govt will further enhance development.
The current arrangement where almost everything has to be done in Lusaka is inimical to development and must be discarded quickly.
I agree with you 100%.
good move for mpulungu rail, but tell us when the project commences and how long it will take.Muchinji rail was completed by RB up to chipata as planned, just in case you didnt know up to lsk was only an expensive extention which may not take place….
WELL DONE BWANA PANJI,WE NEED RAILWY NET WORK THROUGH OUT THE WHLE COUNTRY, NEXT SHOULD BE LUSAKA /CHIPATA.MWE NEED LUSAKA CHIPATA RAILNET WORK BADLY BECAUSE WE GOT TO GET HEAVY UNROADWORTHY TRUCKS ESPECIALLY SABLE ONES OFF THE ROAD AS TOO MANY LIVES ARE LOST ALSO ROAD FROM NYIBMA TO CHIPATA IS VERY POORLY CONSTRUCTED BY SABLE POT HOLE BOYS. MR MINISTER PLZ DO CONSIDER LUSKA/ CHIPATA RAIL LINK AS URGENCY. I AM PROU OF MY PF GOT BECAUSE THEY ARE AT WORK. IMAGINE IS PF CAME TO POWER IN 1991 LIKE MMD AND RULED FOR 2O YEARS HOW WOULD ZAMBIA HAVE BEEN BY NOW. ITHINK ZAMBIA WOULD BE LIKE ANOTHER SOUTH AFRICA BY NOW. PEOPLE LETS GIVE PF 20 YEARS TO RULE AND SEE HOW ZAMBIA WOULD CHANGE.MY HATS OFF TO MR PANJI AND MY GOVT.VIVA PF
What language is this? Can someone find a translator please
KACHIGAMBA
mwana I’m just joking
please don’t get angry it’s Sunday today we need to have a laugh.
I know it’s sad that our country is Zambia is going through a lot of crap don’t worry it’ll be okay one day maybe in 150 years time
Have a great day mate
At least KACHIGAMBA does not insult. Keep it up, many can figure out what you are saying including Zedspetetor. Have a nice sunday guys. Cheers.
Cheers mwana Joel
What has panji done?
PLZ EXCUSE MY FEW ERRORS OF MINE AS MY LAPTOP KEY BUTTONS ARE BIT STIFF AND SOMETIMES MISSES OUT A LETTER OR TWO. MY SINCERE APOLOGIES TO ALL READERS.
Buy a new laptop or iPad please
If you can’t buy a new laptop or iPad can you buy painkillers for the readers to take when reading your comments
Please do not write in CAPITALS ,it is rude and it means you are shouting.
Robin,
please leave my friend Kachigamba Alone he is having a hard time he needs a new laptop / iPad
Pali Kachigamba
Nkaponwenapo umo
Munthu sana
Does Prof. Chirwa AGREE?
This govt has the zeal to change the face of this great nation, very commendable indeed. But govt cannot do everything alone, PPP is the way to go. That the only way we going to do all the ambitious projects.
Can we have a one complete vision for the PF gov’t instead of these disjointed statements? We need to be told of the state of the nation in terms of development, democracy, e.t.c. and the way forward. Are these planned projects? We need a “State of the Nation” address from the head of state to tell us where we are in terms of development and where we are going. Not politically inclined statements on development from cadres.
Still in the campaign mode i guess…
Brilliant idea!As usual the opposition bloggers cant see the value of this project.If indeed RB had completed the Chipata-mchinji railway line why is it not being used by businessmenn in Eastern province?Where is the railway station,goodsshed etc in Chipata?RB was eager to to commission any un finished project to enhance his chance of winning elections!
GO PF GO
Work on the Kasempa Kaoma and Kasempa Mumbwa roads so that people from Northwestern Province need not go though the copperbelt to get to Lusaka or Mongu and Itezhitezhi
Ba mumbwe fyonse ni opposing!is that opposition?
Its true uli mumbulu,even if winter tells you to drink his urine you can drink without any protest
Panji Kaunda said government will soon commence construction of the Mpulungu/Kasama rail project, the question is ‘how soon is soon’? This sounds like the usual cheap talk we are already accustomed. We are still digesting Prof Chirwa’s planned 3-year project and now we are being choked with Panji’s fantasy.
You guys are such naysayers that even the simpliest of projects eludes you.
Prof. Chirwa’s planned underground station in Lusaka has received so much
critisms and yet few people are aware that Zambia has experience in underground
excavations.
The mining companies, on the copperbelt, use tunnels and railway lines to transport copper ores from digging sites. Then hauled to the surface through lifts.
This is the same technology used in the construction of underground trains and stations, or subways.
Zambians can only fail if they lack the will to do it.
This is a very very very progressive government; it is truly a government for the people…
The biggest asset in any modern economy is land. The municipality of Mpulungu must service the land around the lake, build an airport and a resort centre using locally produced material, hold festivals which are african, combined with western tech for the local and international tourists
Its always “we will do this and that.”. Never “we are doing this and that”
Get the rail line to Chipata working first. How long did that take to finish? Rail lines are a good way to move containers to and from seaports. I am sure the Chinese will build it to make raping your country easier!
It sad that the Minister is talking about Mpulungu habour as being very important. What about the Solwezi – Chigola railway line. I think N/western province should be a priority not the dreams the minister is talking about. What is in the Great-lakes region? can he explain to us?
It’s a good idea but how far has the Muchinji railway line gone to date? Why don’t we tackle and accomplish what was in plan all along before starting something new.
This l will always point out that there is a vital line that will link Zambia to the Atlantic ocean. That is the railway line passing through Angola from the Copperbelt. That will be Zambia’s shortest route to the Ocean. Lets decongest and save Zambian roads by that move.
This rail thiNG started in 1988 when panji was a kabudo.its a myth.i have lived in mpulungu and i have seen and met with different politicians talking of the same MYTH.mpulungu will never have a rail line.panji kabudo knows this.
I smell a bye-election in the offing either in Mpulungu or Mbala. This govt must revive the Zambia Railway system and make sure the Muchinji-Chipata railway line is operational before embarking on their day dreams of a rail-link to Mpulungu. The clock indicatesd that they have lessd than three yearsd in govt.
Hey Panji please spare us this cheap talk. Just continues arresting road traffic offenders. Are you in your shorts by the way? All we need is a policy direction and UKWA cant give it to us. He is busy going to Indian whatever he does there! When it comes to agriculture its a shame. Thus what it means to vote in a president who knows nothing about agriculture. How do you explain mealie meal shortages as though we are in Somalia?
This guy panji has now taken over the job of RTSA,he is now all over under tne guise of inspection yet he is just making allowances for himself.they hadly stay in their offices
It is good to dream. Remember Martin Ruther King (JNR), had a dream and to day it has come to pass. America to day is different from the America in which Martin used to have dreams .Where there is a will there is a way. Development any where in the world begins with proper communication infrastructure.The Mchinji, Mpulungu railway lines are most welcome but let them not end up like the Ndola Luanshya railway line.May the deputy minister of transport and communications tell the nation on what has happened to this line.
white elephant..useless provinces..
Weigh the cost and what we will get out of this mpulungu port – buka buka fish?
“Zambia to build underground railway tunnel connecting Livingstone to Nakonde”…typical Zambian dreams. No details when these projects will commence or the actual cost estimations etc. Politicians at work and all the fools are happy!! With what? Promises that never turn into reality?
OOOH YES THE GOVERNMENT IS WORKING AND ONLY FAILURES ARE BUSY CONDEMING PROJECTS THAT WILL BRING PROSPERITY TO THE CITIZENS!!!!
Thanks for the great article..