GOVERNMENT has sub-contracted China Geo Corporation through the Road Development Agency (RDA) to rehabilitate the Chingola-Solwezi Road, following President Michael Sata’s sentiments over the bad state of the road.
Recently President Sata summoned Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Minister Yamfwa Mukanga over the poor state of the Solwezi-Chingola Road.
Provincial Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu said the main contractor Road Pave did not have the necessary capacity to undertake massive works that were required on the Solwezi-Chingola Road hence the sub-contracting of Chain Geo Corporation.
“We do have a contractor doing periodical maintenance and the problem is that the contractor did not seem to have the necessary capacity for him to undertake massive works that were required on the road but we have since engaged Chain Geo Corporation who have since set up camp some 30 kilometers away from here to reinforce the work so that the do a good job,” Mr Mubukwanu said.
Mr Mubukwanu said: “We do agree and appreciate the sentiment expressed by the President on the state of the Solwezi Chingola Road because the capacity of the main contractor on that road leaves not much to be desired and I think it is a scoop of work that has overwhelmed him especially that the scoop went up by almost 300 per cent.”
He said this was way beyond Road Pave’s capacity saying that a meeting was held in Lusaka with Road Development Agency, the contractor, and the engineer to that effect.
“The provincial administration expressed concern that this road is not only the life line of national economy but is also becoming a political road attracting a lot of political statement from the various quarters saying the state of the road is not acceptable,” Mr Mubukwanu said.
North western province is a province that is assuming a very critical status in the country and everybody knows that all roads are leading to the north western province and this because of the great opportunities that are coming up.
He said the Government was very much alive to the development of infrastructure because without proper infrastructure, development would be difficult to attain.
He said the province would also benefit from the Link Zambia 8,000 and Pave Zambia projects and this would help change the face of North-western province.
“We want to assure the people of North-western province. We need the support of everybody for us to be able to deliver on the expectation saying that some of these process take time and will not be done immediately, its only God who can say that let there be light and there is light……..for us as human beings we need to apply ourselves and use our mental focus and planning abilities and we also need to mobilize resources to attend to these challenges,” he said.
Mr Mubukwanu said: “If the previous administration had done most of the works in the province I think we should have been building on what they have done but the challenge is that there has been a big lap for a very long period of time.”
Good Morning Friends, we need toll fees on this road and all the monies collected should used to maintain the same road. I think the best way is each town should be given the power to run these roads around the country from the toll fees than having RDA running the whole show which is not helping us much. RDA should be just there as the overseer.
we are just a country of lazy, complacent, filth and none-caring citizens. we are not driven or motivated to do best for our country.
everything we touch just crumbles before us and all we do is look away thing whats broken down will repair itself.
we need to change our mindset, our pathetic attitude towards work if this country is to move forward.
I have never seen a country with such lazy citizens like ours and yet we all want a luxury life…….work hard for it!
There is no shortage of funds but all we have are wrong priorities
Development in other countries never happened by accident but through dedicated hard work and sacrifice by all citizens including leaders
What about the road tax we pay for our vehicles..? I feel road tax should be reduced or paid at the local councils for them to maintain roads in their respective towns and the money collected from toll fees to be used to maintain inter city roads.
But the RDA why always give road jobs to Road Pave Company when the same contractor failed the RDA on the Kabwe / Kapiri Mposhi road strech. it looks like the guys in the Procurement Committe are brided by the indian owner or what????
The Company belongs to Muzungu Opusa (Parkinson DIsease). That’s why…….
But the problem squarely lies with Sata because he is the person I voted for and will be Jailed for such.
Definitely!
Doesn’t make sense. I know that Roads and Pavers belongs to MUZUNGU OPUSA (Guy Scott (PHD) Parkinson Disease)) and that Sata runs RDA from State House. How can a Kantemba company (Roads and Pavers) subcontract a much more established Company.
It’s absurd to subcontract this Road when Roads and Pavers have failed to perform. What I expected to for Guy Scot’s Company to loose the contract and surcharged for falling to perform, and not subcontracting.
I voted for President Sata and am watching you!!!!!!! YOU WILL GO TO JAIL.
Get your facts right “OldRugsOUT”. I agree with the honourable minister. If only the previous administration had done even a third of developmental projects then the PF would have just put the ice on the cake. But the problem was that the MMD for 20 years ignored North Western Province and it still remains the MOST underdeveloped Provincial Capital. How do you expect a government thats been in power for 2 years to change things overnight. Come guys lets apply our minds when we criticise.
What facts are you talking about. Who owns Roads & Pavers?
Am watching Sata and will be Jailed.
Is that why the president removed mushota from the top job at RDA? The minister seemes to talking what he doesnt know. When the scope increases so does the contract value and when contract value increases, it means more money. When money increases, the capacity of the contractor should increase. Meaning he should hire more engineers, get more plant, etc. A contractor does not finance a road project. The client finance it. When we hear such comments from govt officials, its worrying because it gives thd impression that the contractor must have more plant, equipment etc. These things should be priced for by an contractor dependingon the job.but like always the people who talk are not the ones who should talk. The solution is in grouping engineers in zambia and empowering them.
But the former MP, Hon Lucky Mulusa walked from Solwezi to Chingola and what has he achieved himself or the people of Solwezi by doing that. Nothing and that was a waste of time. He should have got involved himself like the way his friend Hon. Kambwili does for the people of Luanshya. I will be shocked if again the poor people of Solwezi vote for this guy in the forth-coming by-election there.
Well said “Kapoko Kampilimba”.
Mulusa should be ashamed of himself in the first place he was in the previous administration (MMD) which was in power for 20 years. Why didn’t they do something about the road and the infrastructural development of North Western Province as a whole before coming over to play the fool by walking the road. Here is a govt that has been in power for 2 years and already something is being done. Lets give credit where it is due.
Do not be dull. The MP brought awareness by walking from Chingola To Solwezi. That is why your Ministers and President are jumping because it has now become a political issue.
What are “scoops”? Someone help, please.
solwezi men and women rise up and challenge the government or block the road solwezi -chingola. driving in this road is total hell. we’ve alot of mines in north western yet the road infrastructure is terrible no wonder they call the place ku six o clock. if you go to southern, northern even chirudu via chipata the roads are good yet there is nothing coming from there compared to northwestern.
PF has subcontracted an other company to work on solwe-chingola road. Just because theres gona be a by-election in solwezi? I dont understand, why build 2 unis in Muchinga at same time when other parts of the country are languishing with infrastructure& poverty? Pipo of NWP pls wake up from your deep slumber. Its time to fight for what is truly yours. Nobody will deliver for you. KaondeLundaLuvale mwalajisha,Tulutwasweja,mwasavala chikuma.
Regardless of what, this country never ceases to amaze me, …………
Road pave is not a muzungu owened company it belongs to a mwenye these useless indians
AGAIN CHINESE MAN wins the sub – contract , why dont we just officially announce that Zambia is a 24th province of China? Thier is nothing specialised oin the scope of works that Road pave can fail, but politics makes them look like the chinese know better than us, CGC is everywhere in the country and the men and women working for this company are all barely technicians, not engineers and this company comes from Gansu province of china a very poor and unheard of in china , but in zambia they are heroes i guess due to corruption
What happened to the earlier news posted,”Government raise funds for construction of dual carriage-way between Solwezi and Chingola as reported by then Minister Yaluma.Time Posted: March 10, 2013 5:02 p.m
Anyoko
There is nothing wrong with giving the Chinese firms,right now they are the people who are delivering,most Zambian owned firms be it Indian,Zambian are disadvantaged due to the interest rates being offered by banks.So the government should formulate a deliberate policy of empowering locals by giving these contracts to foreign owned companies who have partnered with local Zambian companies,that way we Zambians will be empowered not only with jobs but also transfer of knowledge and technology.
Look at Zimbabwe forcing the Platinum mines to build refineries by 2015,most of the mines have succumbed to the pronunciation,by pledging to build refineries.
Why are your heads so thick blacks. Sure you can not use rail line to transport the copper. You mean you can not see the level of accidents on kitwe, chingola, Solwezi Road. I am disappointed by your inability to think. Zambia Railways is now a white elephant because they are not making money from Copper exports. What is happening within your heads? “Black man can never rule himself” are we proving this statement by a white man? Please lets us put corruption aside and use our heads effectively. There must be an abolishment of Road use by big trucks transporting copper. This road is just too small and not meant for heavy haulage. Government do something about this otherwise you will prove what a white man once said.”Black man can never rule himself
How old are you bwana?
@OldRugsOut you are misplaced in your sentiment and your statement, there are ministers that are delegated the task of seeing to these directives and where they fail the President will disciplin them which he has done on several occassions, I can assure you the frustrations all of us feel are nothing compared to how the good people that really want to see development and have been tasked to bring it feel when they are let down by their co-workers or sub-contractors, as for the lazy and uncooperative civil servants they deserve the boot and should promptly be fired without benefits if need be because they are letting all of us down. As one other reader said it has only been 2 years, only 2 years that the PF government have had to right the many wrongs of pure and total neglect by the MMD.
And who pays? Taxpayers..
Why should this stupid minister talk of the previous gov’t just fulfil your campaign promises.
Do not talk about MMD. JUST DO THE JOB. YOU ARE THE RULING GRZ. WHY GIVE EXCUSES???
somebody must be fired to contract a company with no capacity to do the work. In long run it becomes expensive for the government of the day.
People are insulting the president when in the actual fact he may not be involved directly in interviewing the will be contractors. However, Sata should keep an ear to the ground and be able to fire such characters to save his name. The road is not being used by people of northwestern, it is every zambian who wants to do business there.
how was the contract given to the first company(who has now failed) in the first instance…
they lwiishad under the table to get the contract….
more money in our pockets?
well done RDA….
We are a good example to others….