Friday, March 29, 2024

46 Zambian Contractors Abandon projects

Share

President Edgar Lungu swears in Lucky Mulusa as Special Assistant for Project Monitoring and Implementation at State House in Lusaka on 3 March 2015
President Edgar Lungu swears in Lucky Mulusa as Special Assistant for Project Monitoring and Implementation at State House in Lusaka on 3 March 2015

Forty-six Zambian contractors have abandoned their projects in Muchinga Province.

Special Assistant for Project Implementation at State House Lucky Mulusa says this came to light recently when he toured projects in Muchinga Province.

Mr. Mulusa has told ZNBC News in Beijing, China that he visited 50 projects in Muchinga Province and that only 6 had contractors on site and that the rest have been abandoned.

He says Government is not happy with the state of Affairs especially that most of the contractors are Zambians are abandoning their own projects.

Mr. Mulusa said it is because of this that President Edgar Lungu is in China leading a high powered delegation to see how best Zambians can emulate the working culture of the Chinese people.

He says the massive infrastructure in China has been due to the hard work and patriotism of the Chinese people.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mulusa says government is engaging Chinese Companies to set up cement manufacturing companies in Zambia.

He says negotiations with some Chinese Companies that are willing to invest in cement manufacturing in Zambia has reached an advanced stage.

Mr Mulusa says the PF government has embarked on a massive national wide infrastructure development but that high cost of cement is negatively impacting on the pace of various projects.

Mr, Mulusa has told ZNBC News in an interview in the Chinese Capital, Beijing that cement in China cost about 60 US dollars per ton while in Zambia one ton of cement cost about 6-hundred US dollars which is about 10 times higher.

He says it is for this reason that President Edgar Lungu is in China engage various investors who will help to reduce the cost of infrastructure development in Zambia.

And Mr. Mulusa says there is need for Zambia to copy the mindset of the Chinese people. He said there is a lot of hard work among Chinese people while in Zambia the situation is different.
Zambia National Building Society Managing Director Joseph Chikolwa says he is engaging Chinese Companies so that they come and invest in housing estates in Zambia.

Mr. Chikolwa says the Building Society is not giving out many mortgages because the monthly repayments are very high to be afforded by an average Zambian.

He told ZNBC News in Beijing that he wants Chinese Companies to put up affordable housing units so that the Zambia National Building Society can be able to give out mortgages for people to buy houses at an affordable rate.

Mr. Chikolwa says affordable rates will mean that even the monthly repayments will be at a cheaper rate.

He says presently, most houses are very expensive meaning that even housing mortgages are at a higher rate and cannot be afforded by an average Zambian.

Mr. Chikolwa is part of the Zambian delegation that will attend the Zambia-China Economic, Trade and Tourism Forum that has been arranged by the China Nonferrous Metal Mining Corporation.

President Edgar Lungu who is in China will on Tuesday address the economic forum and hold bilateral talks with various Chinese investors.

63 COMMENTS

    • That’s PF . Lungu told Zambians that he has know vision and people still voted for him . While this is the beginning , more to come with this government . Pupils in monze learn under a mongo tree , this is 2015 not 1888. What will China give Zambian ? Loans and will get more materials . Only two president Zambian history cared for there people , guy scot and mwanawasa.

    • When a Zambian contractor receives the first payment or mobilization, he has to pay a quarter of the money to the one who gave him the contract, build himself a lodge, buy a Mercedes Benz car and another one for his wife, build a mansion in Kasama in Lusaka and wait for the next payment before starting on the project he was paid for. When he gets the next payment it will be time to replace the Benz renovate the lodge and the house and to clear the site for the project. What a waste!

    • Typical mentality of MMD and now with PF cadres. this is because these contracts are not given on merit but relatives. You have names of contractors Lucky?? why now engage Chinese when you already spent the money. Lock them up, that’s when people will learn a lesson otherwise, many more will get the money and run.

      This can not continue. Not acceptable..

    • I too would abandon the project if i was not paid in time; you expect contractors to pay workers and suppliers with stones…really laughable you are even issuing such statements from China; why? This is why ZWD said you had lined up “red herrings” stories to distract the masses whilst President Lazy is being attended to….I once watched a documentary on YouTube about “China in Africa” it followed one Chinese Road Contractor’s project manager working on a highway in Northern Province…the PM was always chasing GRZ for payments and on top of that he had to deal with ignorant ministers and P.Ss who were always touring the site and quizzing him on camera why the project was taking long; that was 5 years ago when GRZ had funds…I can only imagine how bad it is now.

    • Is there a snake in PF that sucks brains from all those that join the Party? Mulusa used to be sensible guy but nowadays the guy sounds retarded.

      The so-called projects in Zambia were corruptly given to PF cadres who have no capacity to implement them. I guess you don’t need to be smart to figure out that.

    • YES!!!!!

      Please address the Cement price issue. That is the way to go.

      I hope an pray that this initiative will not be derailed by greedy leaders as witnessed with the Presidential Housing Initiative (PHI). It sounded good but was “kidnapped” by the same Government which started demanding a “ransom” from the same poor Zambians it was meant to benefit. Most Zambians failed to find the “ransom” money and were left worse off. JUST WHERE DID HON KAMBWILI FIND SO MUCH MONEY TO FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION OF 40 HOUSES? What does OP say? Come on, OP, leak this for the sake of Zambia.

    • Us who read ZWD are way ahead in the knowledge that most PF infrastructural projects have indeed been abandoned not only by Zambian contractors but by foreign contractors more especially the Chinese.

      If the Chinese had not abandoned their contractual obligation, why is KK airport work only on paper after three years of launching the project?

      Mulusa should say the truth about the causes why all contractors not only Zambians have abandoned their work.

      Some of us know that its because of PF government breaching or failing to honour the financial contractual agreements that has forced contractors to stop work.

      Remember, what ever PF says, the opposite is the truth.

    • THIS IS WHY WE LOSE GRZ PROJECTS, ZAMBIANS ARE NOT TO BE TRUSTED, SO SOMEONE CORRUPTED THEM TO ABANDON PROJECTS.. BETTER USE FOREIGNERS HENCEFORTH

    • I personally never believed in Zambian contractors and their shoddy works. If this country wants to move forward, we need serious contractors beyond those fake thieves. If I had a choice in the matter, I would turn all of them into casual workers for more serious Chinese and Zimbabwean contractors. You can defend and protect their interests, but the bottom line is they will always disappoint you. I know what I am talking about as I often do a lot of contracting work and I have statistics to back by arguments. Most Zambian contractors are primarily motivated by fraud and greed. Until and unless they prove otherwise, we should not waste our precious resources on their lot.

    • Why all these 50 projects in this new small Province. This is not good. This is where I totally disliked Mr Sata. The man was such an evil tribalist.

    • Its normal under PF. The projects will start immediately before 2016 elections. by that time, they will borrow some money to put up some shoddy works under ZNBC cameras and sings 1000 songs.

      its Don’t kubeba.

  1. i thought PF government was not broke!,,, am you telling me that Edgar Lungu drank all the money for rent again this month??,,,, abana insala!

    • SATA the SWINE!

      How many years are our children going to be paying for his greed, stupidity and medical tourism at National expense? And getting nothing but failed projects for it?

      They should have not wasted any more money on his funeral and just thrown his body into a pit latrine where it belongs.

    • YES!!!!!

      Please address the Cement price issue. That is the way to go.

      I hope an pray that this initiative will not be derailed by greedy leaders as witnessed with the Presidential Housing Initiative (PHI). It sounded good but was “kidnapped” by the same Government which started demanding a “ransom” from the same poor Zambians it was meant to benefit. Most Zambians failed to find the “ransom” money and were left worse off. JUST WHERE DID HON KAMBWILI FIND SO MUCH MONEY TO FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION OF 40 HOUSES? What does OP say? Come on, OP, leak this for the sake of Zambia.

  2. This Lucky mulusa will impact positively on the Infraatructure Development in the Country ! It’s pity Zambian contractors will never learn from their past mistakes of not completing projects on time

    • If only the EIZ can be tough on those Engineers who are giving their Degrees to Kaponyas , Skirts , and Katondo Contractors to register with the NCC , such could not be happening. Fellow Engineers please you are killing your proffesion. Why can’t you behave like Medical Doctors and other Proffesionals who jealously guard there qualifications than giving every Skirt, Kaponya, and Katondo Contractor your papers. What a Shame.

    • I will explain the “ransom” and “kidnapping” concepts I used for the sake of clarity.

      What I meant is that the MMD Govt under Chiluba came up with a brilliant (PHI) housing programme and invested tax payers’s money promising to build affordable houses for public servants and low-income Zambians which would be sold at lower prices BUT Govt suddenly changed its policy, gave the houses to ZNBS (kidnapped) and hiked the prices (ransom) to levels out of reach to any public officers. Only constitutional office holders, diplomats and Ministers could manage to buy the houses.
      Bravo Lucky Mulusa for at least sharing your findings with the media and us. Continue doing the good work. That is the only way to unmask crooked contractors and GRZ officials who steal public funds.

  3. What kind of monitoring is this? First you tell us that the projects have been abandoned without giving clear reasons as to why. Then despite being Zambian, residing and operating in Zambia and having carried out the monitoring exercise in Zambia, you decide to disseminate the findings from a foreign land. What is going on here?

  4. Mulusa, Zambians are emulating EL’s working culture. The chewas say ‘ Madzi ya nkonkha mkolo’..’ Follow, follow, follow…, follow the leader!! If EL is not working the Zambians too won’t work. He’s never in the country to supervise his subordinates, remember when..’the cat is away, the mice…PLAY. Anyway efintu…..

    • Instead of condemning Mr Lucky Mulusa we must commend him for his courage and transparency which, most officials would never do. He has revealed to the Zambians that the much talked about massive infrastructure development is not going as planned and something should be done. We can now even ask for details which would not have been possible if this report had just been marked “Secret” and filed away in State House and Cabinet Office. Because of his transparency, Zambians now know that about 50 contractors were working in one province called Muchinga and that out of those 46 stalled and contractors have pulled out for reasons Mr Speaker can now compel the GRZ Spokesperson to give in a Ministerial Statement in Parliament. Bravo, brother Mulusa. ECL sir, commend such officers.

  5. @pata pata I totally agree with you. People are only as motivited as thier leaders inspire. Edgar “DOLLAR CHAGWA” Lungu is busy playing vasco da gamma and not working himself. On the part of abandoned projects every one that has even the least bit of involvement knows that the government has not been sticking to payment schedules on these contracts. So I happen to agree with the contractors. Pay them on time and they I have no valid reason to abandon. Late on payments they have the right to pack and take thier services to other countries where the government pays on time. Business is business. Meanwhile waiting to see what Lungu will do about KAINGU. OR IS LUNGU AFRAID OF RB? KAINGU MUST GO.

    • There should be a law against late payment. It is sad that this country has adopted this as normal cultural practice. It is extremely retrogressive.

  6. or we ask the zambian watchdog to give us the truth and to meet the contractors so that we can have the truth,you pf guys.

    • TEN COMMANDMENTS….

      Yes, let us know why 46 contractors have pulled out 2 months after the by-elections. Thank you brother Mulusa for making the information public.

      This old trick of ruling parties putting out dummy projects during campaign periods to hoodwink voters to vote for the ruling party is too much. We know it is bribery by the ruling party through “Government cannot stop development projects just because there is an election” arrogant statements from the same interested parties (Campaign Managers who are usually Cabinet Ministers). In the meantime the ruling party would use taxpayer’s money to deploy security personnel including ACC to watch opposition campaign teams for any sign of gifts to the electorate and punish them severely. Please allow Mulusa to continue…

  7. So this Projects guy is telling us that the president and his delegation will manage to make the rest of the Zambians emulate the working culture of the Chinese people? In what way, if I may ask? 50+ years of independence and all we can do is tell people we are “learning” from so and so… what a mess! You cannot get a different result by doing the same thing that has failed to yield results all these years. It is time for a radical change! Meantime enjoy your trips and your pocket money (they call it per diem, right?)

    • Can you imagine?
      The entire president going to China to go and learn work ethic? The whole president. What will he do with that knowledge, come home and hold workshops?

      One would think the more than 100,000 Chinese in the country are doing that already.

      This nation is cursed!

  8. Greetings fellow Zambians. Iam also in President Edgar Lungu’s entourage to China.

    I just want to secretly inform you that we have just discovered today that the main reason of him visiting China has actually nothing to do with his inviting investors but to pursue his medication.

    Evidence, on Friday and Thursday, the President was briefly admitted at Chichanjie Hospital in Benjine China. Our man has an advanced throat cancer which can claim his life anytime soon.

    So as Zambians, lets just be preparing for the State Funeral; otherwisethe truth is that our President is seriously ill. And the news that he came to China for investment is false. Lungu came here for treatment and nothing else. So, don’t believe in the PF propaganda, Edgar is sick

    I thank you.

    • Whether he is in China for Throat Cancer Treatment as you claim, he is using his time pretty well. Whether on Chemotherapy or Whatever term you can think of , i am impressed with how he is using his time. Whether on Life Support , he is doing a Jolly Good Job. Mind You he is with Given Lubinda, Alexander Chikwanda, Mulusa , and other Business Persons. Spare us your negative thoughts. We are tired.

    • And that is HH reporting from Beijing. Always celebrating other people’s misfortune. Your time will come and you will die of syphilis.

  9. Unfortunately, contracts are not awarded on merits.They collude and give out kick backs at the expense of finding qualified people who will take interest of zambians at heart. They thus fail to complete and nobody follows up because they ‘eat’ together. This is a common practice in africa and that is why we shall remain a begging continent.

  10. Let’s accept the fact that zambians are lazy ca nts who just want luxury at the expense of hard work. A lot of clowns ran away from Zambia to go and work with hard working people overseas. Lungu is on the right path to bring competition which will motivate zambians to work hard. Again as usual clowns will start complaining that jobs are taken by foreigners. If you are used to criticising you can even criticize the size of your dik.

    • @Sponge bob….

      Stop insulting innocent Zambians who are working outside Zambia. I take exception to statements such as the one quoted from your blog:

      “A lot of clowns ran away from Zambia to go and work with hard working people overseas”.

      Please, know that people decide what to do with their lives despite the national agenda of govt. Right now there are not enough jobs, not enough spaces at colleges and universities for our children, and you call people clowns for seeking opportunities elsewhere. You want to continue laughing at them here as they suffer while you indulge in luxury, may be from ill-gotten money. You are the clown who cannot understand the real situation in your own country. After all these people are supporting fellow relatives back home through remittances.

  11. How can the whole president go to china to copy Chinese working methods and yet we have lots of Chinese working here? In Zambia we wil NEVER make any progress. It is finished! Forget.

  12. Does anybody remember the word “INFESTORS” ?? My, My.

    Today with cap in hand, and on bowed knees, we now want to learn the “working culture” of these same people. We have now capitulated and surrendered. We herewith acknowledge and bear witness that the Chinese are harder working, more industrious, and more successful than us. They must come complete projects we as Zambians failed to do. The villans of yesterday are the savious of today. So Zambians, stop your sh*t about chinese influx and racial prejudice, when you yourselves are going begging for Chinese to come here. Let alone permits, give them passports so they help us do what we are unable to do. Abash.

    • We are located in Chicago, USA and we offer loans.

      Do you Need a loan for any purpose ? We are Rafa Matte Loan Company, Formed to help the Public to get Loans to solve their problems. We are certified by the creditor governments to Give credit to individuals,companies and industries with an interest rate of 3% cheaper. If you are interested, fill out a credit application form below and send it to us so that we can begin the process of your loan: Interested parties can contact me by e-mail : [email protected]

      Company email: [email protected]

  13. Please help me with my memory in my old age. Age is catching up to me.

    In some fuzzy way, I recall a ZNBC clip @ 19:00hrs. H.E. the late MCS, in his first week of office, was meeting the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, and our presidents blunt words to the Chinese Ambassador were, “THERE ARE TOO MANY OF YOU IN MY COUNTRY”.

    Pray, would anyone happen to remember this episode. My memory is failing. Please assist a senior citizen.

    • September 26, 2011

      President Michael Sata has told the Chenese ambassador that there are too many Chinese coming into Zambia and that they are paying Zambian low wages.

      But the Chinese ambassador Zhou Yuxiao reminded Sata that there are Zambian bosses who pay worse than Chinese

    • @1PUS1, Apathy….

      Yes, that was the attitude of the PF. It would do well for the Government to explain some of the strange happenings. Suddenly, the Chinese are better partners. Suddenly, they are right. Hard working they are but what do people in the Copperbelt and Lusaka who displayed so much hate for the Chinese. What do they say now? Have the Chinese suddenly transformed into high paying employers? Anyway, President Lungu is the one to carry the shame of PF’s past mistakes. Let us move on. I have a feeling the 2016 elections will make the government work harder but the opposition should equally work harder on checks and balances. May be the opposition can carry out its own investigations on the Mulusa Report and publish its findings. It would help gullible voters a bit.

  14. How come Zambians used the finish projects during KK’s time. Problem now is that people are given contracts because they’re relatives even when they don’t have experience. Again because those giving contracts wants katamulomu. So you won’t learn nothing Mr Mulusa. Just give contracts to experienced Zambians.

  15. Muchinga is the biggest money laundering machine Sata created to speed up wealth for his big family. Investigate the baggers and arrest anyone found wanting.

  16. THOSE CONTRACT WERE GIVEN TO RELATIVES AS WAY OF EMPOWERING THEM. IT WAS A WAY OF STEALING MONEY FROM GOVERNMENT TO GIVE TO RELATIVES.
    IS IT RIGHT FOR MR. MULUSA TO SAY THAT IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY. I THOUGHT HIS JOB WAS TO REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT ON HIS FINDINGS AND MAKE NECESSARY RECOMMENDATIONS TO HIM FOR POSSIBLE ACTION. IF A MEMBER OF THE OPPOSITION HAD SAID THAT TO FOREIGNERS, HE WAS GOING TO BE ACCUSED OF BEING UNPATRIOTIC AND A TRAITOR.
    ARE THEY TRYING TO CREATE AN EXCUSE FOR THEM TO BRING IN MORE CHINESE AS A CONDUIT OF CORRUPTION?

  17. really a comedy if you ask me. lungu’s going to china will somehow
    result in the chinese work culture rubbing off on him, and when he returns it will rub off on his people! whilst we still on this, why doesn’t he send all his citizens to china so that it rubs off on them first hand ,,,, this second hand thing may end up with a dilution!!!

    • To call Zambians LAZY is a terrible insult but to do so in a foreign land and as means of asking for foreign help is damn right unpatriotic and irresponsible.

      The Zambians I know wake up at 4 AM to go look for their orders and are already at their Market stalls before Mr Mulusa and his kind even come out of their dreams let alone wake up.

      Show a Zambian appreciation and respect for what they do and you will have probably some of the best workforce you could wish for.

      BOTTOM LINE IS NOBODY WILL WORK FOR FREE.

  18. Reading the word “contractor” ,these companies are meant to sign some legal and binding document with government .If ever any of the parties ie government or these so called contractors in this case fail to meet their obligations , penalties for breach of contract obligations is paid by the offending party .These contracts are drafted by the ministry of justice on behalf of government .

    This is what any responsible company or government does. By doing so ,the financial security of both is protected .No one can flex a muscle against the other because the writing is there on the wall of what needs to be done. Deadlines ,methods payments , what amounts to a breach etc are written down in this document. Government is being economical with the truth or is not being truthful.

  19. Is there a snake in PF that sucks brains from all those that join the Party? Mulusa used to be sensible guy but nowadays the guy sounds retarded.

    The so-called projects in Zambia were corruptly given to PF cadres who have no capacity to implement them. I guess you don’t need to be smart to figure out that.

    • Since you have information on the contractors that have abandoned projects, give us their names, projects they have abandoned, amounts paid to them so far and the stages of each of the projects. You find that the directors of most of these companies are PF cadres of even Ministers.

  20. @Chimbwi….

    Kindly petition you Member of Parliament to request the Speaker to compel the Minister of Information to issue a Ministerial Statement in Parliament. That is the way to go. This is an opportunity to have a go at the fight against corruption. 46 out of 50 contractors pulling out of projects in just one province is way too much. There are 10 provinces in Zambia!! Zambians, demand an explanation from your elected government. There are too many poor people who could have benefited from this wasted money. Please, President Lungu, do not protect thieves. They only make your life more difficult as President. Imagine how it would be if there was no corruption in Zambia!! You could create a Singapore or New Zealand here!! We also want to enjoy life as God wants us to.

  21. I blog because that is the only channel I have of expressing my views on issues that affect me as a Zambian. Thank you Government for allowing all these online tabloids to operate. As an ordinary Zambian I have no access to the Times of Zambia, Zambia Daily Mail, ZNBC, which others refer to as Zambian-owned just because they use tax payers’ money. These media would not even cover the opposition respresenting 50% of voters as per last election!!!! How Zambian owned are they?? It is better to say they are owned by the ruling party.
    So thank you to Zambian Watchdog, Lusaka Times, Zambian Eye, Zambian Report, etc. Thank you for breaking News throughout the day and giving the public an opportunity to express their opinions. Freedom comes with these.

  22. Stop giving contracts to relatives, friends, cadres, political colleagues, fellow ministers with briefcase companies, and this problem will go away.

    And how do you expect a so called Contractor to do a good job, let alone complete a project, when the only equipment to their company’s name is a shovel and a wheelbarrow? Somebody in Govt should be responsible enough to verify the claims most of these contractors make before awarding them contracts. But it seems Govt is failing even to carry out such basic responsibilities. So how do you expect contractors to take anything you say as Govt seriously?

    The Chinese Govt takes their governing agenda very seriously and this shows in the people—there is no magic to it. So let us get serious as a Govt first and people we follow!

  23. LT, dont edit my stuff, saying ‘The man was such an evil “Tri.balist” is not cursing now is it a swear word.

  24. its so fun to learn that Zambian Contractors have abandoned the works, firstly what is the reason of abandoning the works, I smell a big rat here. They are Zambian Contractors who are able to do a good job but if they payments are not honored in time its difficult to continue with the works. for the Chinese they can survive this problem through their bank of china which is able to sustain the project financing.

    • Khikikiki… I don’t want to think that even PF cadres who were awarding themselves contracts have also left the sites (these should be the last people to leave site)

      However, who can sincerely expect people to be at site without diesel, materials and salaries for workers…that’s taking people too far for jokes…..but also PF cadres are to blame….expecting Gold from Edgar’s mouth is broad daylight dreaming …..??…ECL is now making his own money, that’s what he wanted, and you gave him that support to be where he is…so be sharp next time…watch and learn although its said that only humans hit their toe-nails on the same stone twice…PF cadres will still vote for a chimpanzee, or a frog again as long as it is wearing PF chitenge material.

  25. It pains to be a zambian, I dont understand as to how the world is moving backwards only for zambia is it that the dogs have come to zambia or zambia to the dogs just look at the economy with finance minister is UNIP, minister of imformtion brainless kaponya, yet to be appointed a lunatic tribalist Fatherless frank bwalya. mother zambia where are we going?

  26. Were there no contracts signed?
    Surely these contractors are not going to be allowed to get off scott free???

  27. Dear Mr. Mulusa, I would like to advise you to take it easy on your new job. You appear to be excited and come out as someone who does not know where to report. You are a presidential aide, in short an advisor to the president of Zambia, ECL. Your job of Project Implementation Monitoring entails you to report to ECL and nowhere else. You do not report to parliament. You are not a policy maker and neither is your position a proxy Ministerial one. What do you make of children in a home who announce to the world that they have had enough of eating kapenta in their home? Shouldn’t they tell that to their mother or father so that he or she can change the diet? Too many press briefings to the media before you report to ECL. I hope ECL will not regret appointing you as his Aide soon!

  28. Hello,

    We are located in Chicago, USA and we offer loans.

    Do you Need a loan for any purpose ? We are Rafa Matte Loan Company, Formed to help the Public to get Loans to solve their problems. We are certified by the creditor governments to Give credit to individuals,companies and industries with an interest rate of 3% cheaper. If you are interested, fill out a credit application form below and send it to us so that we can begin the process of your loan: Interested parties can contact me by e-mail : [email protected]

    Company email: [email protected]

    Thanks
    Mr Rafa Matte.

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading