Cabinet has approved two loan contractions amounting to over US$129 million to finance the rehabilitation of Kariba dam and improve the provision of clean water in Western province.
Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Chishimba Kambwili disclosed the development when he addressed journalists at his office in Lusaka today.
Mr. Kambwili, who is also Chief Government Spokesperson, said government has contracted US$75 million from the World Bank and US$39 million from the African Development Bank to repair cracked walls of the Kariba dam.
The minister said the rehabilitation project, which is being undertaken by the governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe, needs to be urgently undertaken to avoid potential emergency situations.
He pointed out that the dam is vital to the economy of Zambia and the sub region.
He said it would therefore be catastrophic if the dam collapses.
Mr. Kambwili also said US$15.5 million has been contracted to improve water supply and sanitation in Western province.
He said 16 districts in Western province will benefit from the implementation of the water and sanitation project under phase two of transforming rural livelihoods.
Mr. Kambwili explained that the project will contribute to poverty alleviation and improve the health of Zambia’s rural population through access to clean water.
The minister further announced that Cabinet has approved the appointment of nine members of the Zambia Revenue Authority Governing Board who will later be announced by Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda.
The previous board was appointed in November 2011 and its three year tenure of office expired in October 2014.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kambwili also disclosed that Cabinet will be made announcing government policy decisions through statements that will be issued by the Government Chief spokesperson immediately after cabinet meetings.
He said this is intended to help people make informed decisions concerning issues that government is working on.
Mr. Kambwili has meanwhile dismissed assertions from some quarters of society who have been alleging that government is borrowing heavily and making the country highly indebted.
He said such allegations were cheap politics from Patriotic Front (PF) detractors.
The Minister said the PF administration is responsible and is only borrowing within its capacity to pay back.
Mr. Kambwili has since assured Zambians that money being borrowed is being used to support infrastructure development in order to improve the welfare of Zambians.
The man who swored he’d close down ZWD and later retracted his…..
meant to read ………. The man who SWORE he’d close down ZWD with the help of FBI and CIA and later retracted his…..
These people with PHDs running the show at ministry of finance are just killing zambia. Sure debt after debt. This money will not be used for intended purpose.
@Pretty; ni ba CNP. He shoots before he aims. Typical “sesa” attitude.
Mr Kambwili has taken his podium now. He just loquacious for nothing and enjoys to be all over the show.
Why Western Province ? We know your politics of wanting to ‘chop’ Western Province frm UPND. We are also geared for 2016 and ARE TRAILING your every move ba PF.
Why don’t we have parliament sanction debt instead of Cabinet? It seems the idea of people’s representation in government is not taken seriously in this colonial copycat government system
I really do not follow, I thought this rehabilitation process was complete? Just curious.
this is what you voted for my friends; hopefully you will use logic next time.
Hon Kambwile is brilliant, decisive and insightful.
I’m sure he has an MBA from Harvard!
I was honoured to associate with him when I lived in Luanshya. Then he was MP for Roan, but in opposition.
more nkongole…here we go
WERE IS OUR EURO BOND BAKABOLALA IMWE……….YOU TOLD US THE EURO BOND IS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND KARIBA DAM SHOULD BE PART OF INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN UNLESS YOU TELL ME THAT TO YOU INFRASTRUCTURE NINJAJI CHABE
As if there is anything to be proud of more loan from the mafia in the name of World Bank. …it doesn’t even help matters with BUFFOON Kambwili making these announcement! !
more nkongole for sure but this time for development not like the you know who guys who use borrow for themeslves
I hate this hippo
A wise person said “Hatred is a poison which you take and expected it will affected the one you”
Workin gvmnt bakamba,then bafikalaa bambi ati nyonyonyo
Is this SAME KARIBA DAM, P.F told us DIDN’T need any refurbishing about 8 months to a year ago? Check this , go to L.T. Archives.
What’s changed now???
What has changed is we have a new Kid in town – (Government), who desperately needs campaign funds, & cash for his HSBC Swiss account, to keep up with the African leaders Club.
K.K, prior to Independence, said the famous words – “ZAMBIA SHALL BE FREE”
That objective was met, now it’s time for “ZAMBIA SHALL BE BLED DRY” Good Luck, as in Zambia thieving Leaders NEVER pay for their Crimes, so its 100% profit all the way.
The above statement is a fact, as we all know of a Leader who died a Free man after embezzling millions of dollars, & one, who currently appears to be wriggling out of his Grand Theft Shenanigans.
LT reported that the EIZ Vice President told a media briefing that the dam is not under an imminent collapse. However, it is the scouring of the plunge pool which has reached depths of the order of 80m and if not addressed can lead to undermining of the dam wall foundation and instability of the wall. The plunge pool is the area of the river where the spilled water falls onto. The funds are required for the strengthening of the plunge pool and not for refurbishment.
too much debt is not good for the country..if we have the capacity to pay back prove it by availing us with details of our current financial position…our currency is becoming useless every moment and our gvt is busy borrowing in millions of dollars???? I can prophesy that the wage freeze will continue even after 2017
KAMBWILI SAYS PF IS BORROWING WITHIN PF’S CAPACITY TO PAY BACK. WHAT IS THAT CAPACITY? PF HAS BEEN BORROWING EVER SINCE IT CAME INTO OFFICE IN 2011. CAN SUCH A HEAVILY BORROWING PARTY EVER HAVE A CAPACITY TO PAY BACK? THIEVES ARE AT IT AGAIN TO FATTEN THEMSELVES, SOME ARE EVEN CALLED PIGS BY NOW BECAUSE THEY ARE ALREADY SHAPELESS DUE TO EXCESSIVE FATNESS(OBESE). UD $114 MILLION IS ON PAPER SHOWN THAT IT WILL BE USED TO REPAIR THE DAM, BUT IN REALITY, THIS MONEY WILL BE SIPHONED BY THESE CRIMINALS. WE KNOW THEM.
I thought this was already done.Money was borrowed for the same project??? No sure but I am just thinking!!!
Rehabilitation sometimes can be more costly. Why not build a new, more modern, and efficient dam?
Most of the funds to construct the Kariba Dam came from the World Bank. It therefore has an interest to ensure that the structural integrity of the dam is not compromised. The Kariba Dam was constructed to meet mostly the rising power demand of the mines on the Copperbelt in the 1950’s. The alternative power supply was from coal from Hwange and would have necessitated the expansion of the railway line and rolling stock. Environmental consideration was not an issue at the time. The loss of the Dam is too ghastly to contemplate, i.e. loss of about 40% power supply, possible damage to the downstream Cabora Bassa Dam, the fishing industry, tourism etc. The necessary funds must therefore be found.
Yes borrowing for investment in infrastructure is welcome especially for a situation like this one where we have to protect very critical infrastructure, the Kariba Dam from collapsing. But the question still stands; why are we failing to make the mines pay the electricity bills they owe so that we don’t borrow but use our own resources to repair and expand electricity generation and distribution infrastructure? After Chitundu told us how KCM owes US$100+million dollars to ZESCO,he is fired and yet we are borrowing to look after ZESCO related infrastructure! Then another worry,does this mean that Zambia and Zimbabwe under the Zambezi River Authority do not have a fund that accumulates on a yearly basis to take care of the dam? We need to be planning for the future!!
Good observation. From the little I know is that CAPCO (Central African Power Corporation) ran the power station which was jointly owned by Zambia and Zimbabwe but unfortunately located on its side, the Dam and the transmission lines. This company was later dissolved when Zambia became independent in 1964 and Rhodesia declared UDI in 1965. However the assets were not equally shared and Zambia still claims that Zimbabwe owes it some money. Worse still the mines on the Copperbelt contributed £20 million towards the Kariba Dam construction. It makes my heart bleed how Zambia was taken for a ride. ZRA was formed to replace CAPCO to maintain the dam and is funded by the two countries. One of the agreements was that the CEO would come from Zimbabwe and the HQ would be in Zambia.
And how much is Zimbabwe contributing? Remember these guys still owe us interest on what they were owing us before.
Tell them my brother.
This is how countries ‘owning’ the World Bank make money out of poor and poorly managed countries. They make profits through multinationals operating in poor countries and invest these profits thr the World Bank and the World Bank lends these profits to appetite-borrowing countries like Zambia (for unprecedented infrastructure devpt) and these countries make even more profits thr interest charges. The Word of God does not lie: “the poor shall be poorer and the rich shall be richer”.
@ Zambia ni yatu: how do we plan for the future when we have none under PF! It does not work like that.
Chikwanda is the epitome of fiscal irresponsibility–that Lungu decided to retain him shows that he has no real desire to revitalize the economy, but rather line his pockets.
Comment:why do you keep on borrowing money to develop this country we already have money that needs to be paid back Zambia is in great debt pay back before you think of borrowing again then when you are done now start developing the country