Former vice president Enoch Kavindele says the construction of the North-west railway line from Chingola in the Copperbelt province to Solwezi in North-western province is set to start next year in January.
Mr. Kavindele, who is also the Chief Executive Officer for North West rail line company, said the project was expected to create about 8,000 jobs during the construction period and over 3, 000 jobs after it is completed.
He said the company has done a rail line demo unit in Chingola which is awaiting a final approval from government before the project is implemented.
Speaking to journalists in Solwezi, Mr. Kavindele said government has indicated that it will acquire 30 per cent of the equity shares in the company.
The former vice president said the rail line was important to North-western as it will create jobs for the local people and also help to reduce pressure on the Solwezi Chingola road from damage as the transportation of copper from the province will be done by rail.
The project will be financed by the African Development Bank AfDB and the Development Bank of Southern Africa.
Awesome!! It is about time. Now the Solwezi-Chingola road can be having a longer lifespan unlike what has been happening because of all the copper and heavy equipment transported on it.
Eish! People are working….
awe shuwa Zambians are inspirational mwe 😀
Well & okay Enoch Kavindele. Come January 2017 the start of constructing the railway is awaited, no yaps of PF’s incompetence Donchi Kubeba maladies, metaphysically Dununa reverse, poor economics & no rule of law.
Dreams of 11,000 jobs, which 3,000 will be permanent can’t be materialized, b’coz Lungu has failed to create 500,000 jobs yapped all along. Accountability for this project is highly on E.K with 3,000 permanent jobs after completion in 2020?
Really, 30% for the violence & visionless hoodlums of Lungu’s PF bandits, when Zamtel, Zesco & mines are up for liquidating!? Post too!
The Skeleton Key
~206~
Mere rhetorics for self political emancipation!
I say mere rhetorics for self political emancipation cos how can such a big company have one man show: He is MD, Chief Engineer, Procurement Officer, Chief Financial Officer & even Spokesperson?
Since it will have a workforce of 8,000 during construction period & 3,000 on completion it must be a huge company. It therefore should have organizational structure such that by now we would have known even other prominent investors behind it.
It’s a good dream but for it to material it needs input from others not a one man show.
No wonder he was ‘dununa jigging’ at PF campaigns!
A Welcome development certainly. A very astute move comrade Kavindele.
That is good news. We want more private citizens to emulate you Mr Kavindele. Next we want to see a project initiated by Hakainde Hichilema for Southern province and another by GBM for Northern province
its a WHITE ELEPHANT by PF00Ls that will debt-entrap us.
It’ll fall in the same pit as Zambia Railways, TAZARA, & Zambia Airways. Which f00l can transport such a “hot” commodity like copper or gold by rail?
Some naive people, its really a shame they will never appreciate anything. How will this be a debt trap when its a private project and Government will not spend even a kwacha on it?
Good news so that our roads could be relieved of the pressure they undergo due to lack of rail transport. We can’t wait. These are the kind of projects that can add value to the economy.
Well intended but I also fear this will be a white elephant unless a broader nationwide strategy to rejuvenate rail transport for bulk goods such as copper is put in place and eventually extended to include commuter transport. So if the North West railway will bring the copper from Solwezi up to Chingola, then what? If it then goes on road haulage then this is a half baked solution. Th initiative is best integrated to feed into the existing rail infrastructure from the Copperbelt to Southern province and down to South Africa. Transporting copper and other bulk goods by road should be discouraged at all costs but only if a meaningful alternative is put in place.
Agree but not South Africa. Best, short and cost effective would be Mozambique.
@6 Blabla, I AGREE with YOU! If policy remains the same Railway transport will always uncompetitive against roads and damage to our roads will only increase!! We need a more holistic solution so that we relieve our roads of excessive and damaging loads!!
North Western railways…not kavindele’s.
Finally progress, glad to see private sector engagement.
After all that bootlicking during the elections..learn from Fred Meembe when you dance with the devil…
“……is awaiting a final approval from government before the project is implemented…”
Kevindele watched to much dancing dununa reverse moving with lungu during elections…does he know January is 2 months away ? Where is the construction matrrialslike steel rails, sleepers and your quarry site for the balast ? Where is the equipment ?
You stand behind lungu when he is dununaring reverse you start thinking in dununa reverse.
What is the cost of the 30% equity GRZ is suppose to buy into your company why not ask for private equity or will the cost be less upon feasibility cost studies?
Illusions, day dreaming as usual castles in the air. The rail demo was done 10 yrs ago what has Kavindele been doing the last 10 yrs? kuwayawaya fye. Just continue enjoying what you reaped from the campaign tours or is it pay back time?