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File:The Mining industry contributes 65 percent to Zambia’s national treasury and the major mining operations are in North-Western Province where, among the mining firms, are world-renowned mines like Kansanshi Ming PLC owned by First Quantum Minerals (FQM) and Barrick Gold’s Lumwana Mining Company. However, the road to Solwezi from the Copperbelt is in a deplorable condition and motorists are having challenges on the highway which is riddled with huge potholes. And in avoiding potholes, some motorists are causing accidents. But children from the villages on the Chingola-Solwezi road have resorted to patching up the road using mud, in exchange for money from the motorists as can be seen above

Construction works on the Chingola -Solwezi road in North Western province have started.

Government has since contracted another new contractor to join the two existing contractors China Geo Company and Road Pave.

North Western Province Minister, Nathaniel Mubukwanu, said that government wants to ensure works are accelerated and completed before rainy season.

Mr Mubukwanu, who inspected the construction site, said government has also revised the scope of works for the road with a view to upgrading it to a dual carriage way in future.

Earlier Mr Mubukwanu handed over road equipment worth K1 million to Rural Roads Unit (RRU) for the rehabilitation of feeder roads in the province.

And Council of Elders secretary, Justine Samanana, said the commencement of works on the road is good for the people in the province as it is an important economic link.

editor http://www.lusakatimes.com

6 COMMENTS

Wanzelu June 9, 2014 At 1:16 pm

So this road will take PF the whole five years to complete. What infrastructure are they boasting about when 90% of the projects PF initiated have either been shelved or are far from completion?
- Bwana Mkubwa June 9, 2014 At 6:03 pm
  
  I smell a by-election. I think the court cases on the Solwezi is about to be concluded My guess is that they would want all these by-elections to take place on the 19th Aug.
  
  Didn’t you see Kambwili issuing threats on the roads in Kabwe/Kapiri – It is because of the ward by-election in Highridge.
SALU June 9, 2014 At 1:16 pm

It’s nearly rain season now.How many months are they going to work & complete the works?I only see mare politics in this project.
wajimona June 9, 2014 At 1:18 pm

If this road was in Northern or Muchinga iprovinces,it w ould have been completed in record time.
MJ June 9, 2014 At 6:45 pm

@ Wajimona.

Not until you visit Muchinga or Northern Province one day, will you stop all those unnecessary sentiments. Those two provinces are as poor as Northwestern, not to mension roads. Kaputa district is currently cut off from the rest of Northern Province because of the state of the road.
ME June 9, 2014 At 9:06 pm

Iwe Wnzelu or Alibenzelu this road started early last year. They were given 24 months to work on it and the rains have just finished. Read the newspapers