Friday, March 29, 2024

Kafue resident oppose toll fees

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National Roads Fund Toll Gates near Kapiri Mposhi
National Roads Fund Toll Gates near Kapiri Mposhi

A Kafue Resident William Chilufya has complained that the 100 percent hike in toll fees are unbearable for motorists using the Kafue road.

And some Kafue residents who work in Lusaka will be required to pay an estimated K1,200 per month in toll fees.

Mr. Chilufya said the new toll fees will have a negative bearing on economic activities in Kafue as it will be too costly for entrepreneurs to travel between Kafue and Lusaka.

He has since appealed to President Edgar Lungu to intervene so that the toll fees are revised to affordable levels.

“The point must be made that whereas tollgates remain part of standard road infrastructure all over the world, in Zambia, the revised toll fees seem to be punitive, unconsiderate and unstrategic,” Mr Chilufya said.

He said although targeted at creating revenue for government, tolls should not come as too much of a burden on motorists.

“For instance, the tolls to be collected between Kafue and Lusaka from Motorist who are making everyday trips to Lusaka is very punitive. Where on earth would you get K40 every day for toll gates? Is this a call to ask all motorist in Kafue to move to Lusaka?”

“So, while we are not opposed to tollgates, there should be consideration for residents of toll gates areas to avoid making their lives miserable.”

Mr Chilufya said what the government must do instead of milking a few citizens is to spread the toll gate facilities and let all users share the burden at affordable levels.

“The new charges are rather too high, punitive and unbearable to most of the road users of Kafue. On behalf of my Kafue motorists, we are calling upon the Road Development Agency to be consultative and never attempt to implement such type of toll fees,” Mr Chilufya said.

Infrastructure Development and Housing Minister Ronald Chitotela this week announced that Government has increased road toll fees by 100 per cent, a move which is set to increase monthly road toll collections to K400 million from the current K40 million.

Effective January 1 next year, long distance small vehicles will be paying K20 from K10, minibuses K40 from K20, big buses and light trucks will pay K50 from K25, while heavy trucks will now pay K80 from K40 and abnormal load vehicles K500 from K250.

Mr Chitotela said the move would help the Government collect K4.8 million per year, thereby aiding maintenance and construction of more roads and making the road sector self-sustaining.

41 COMMENTS

  1. “He has since appealed to President Edgar Lungu to intervene so that the toll fees are revised to affordable levels”
    Pa Zambia so basically Mr Lungu is the only one the whole 13million people with an ability to change rates. What a country. Symptoms of a dictatorship everything begins and ends with the president.

    • House fly: I concur with you and that is why the President himself complained that everybody wants to be given instructions by him (the president). It does not work that way. This is the matter for NRFA and Ministry of Works and Supply period. In other countries, Toll Fees are based on the distance to be covered on a particular road. You cant have a situation where you have a flat Fee throughout the whole road, its not possible and its lack of good planning. You have to stagger the fee based on the distance covered. You cant charge the same fee to a person who has used only 10km section of a road and the one who has used 100km section of the same road. Thats being unfair. Lusaka to Kabwe is 146km and you pay K20. Kafue to lusaka if 46km and you also pay K20. Thats insane.

  2. Someone in NRFA and RDA realized that squandering K40 Million would be easy for the public to notice. Squandering K40 million from K400 million the public wont notice, hence increment of toll fees.

  3. This is nonsense! Why ask Lungu to intervene when any reasonably educated professional would see the economic NONSENSE in these toll fee rates? Are we being told that the civil service is so bone-headed and daft that no one can work out sensible rates for users, and only a proven failed lawyer, now in Statehouse can work out this “puzzle”?

  4. Heavy and abnormal load trucks proposed fees are too generous. Boma wangananiponi. They should be increased further by another 50%?

  5. The best is to hand back this country to the British. We are not going anywhere as a country guys. No matter how much we cheat ourselves that there is a saviour, there is actually none. Tell the British, please rule us but don’t make us buy through small windows in the shops, then we will be back on track. Neither the ruling party nor the opposition can lead us anywhere

  6. If I am in formal employment and pay K10,000 monthly as PAYE, why should the Govt take additional money from me in the form of Toll fees. All PAYE Zambians need to be exempted or better be allowed to pay a minimum amount.

  7. Muzaciona inu wonse! Now you will start castrating your constitution, beheading your bylaws and stabbing away at your sustainability. All because of selective justice and knee-jerk behaviors. Some of us advocated for a K1 toll for our roads and a K0.50 parking fee at malls ages ago. Let people get into the psyche of paying for what they use as opposed to suddenly springing up unpleasant surprises like this because you want to avoid IMF! And to the population: you get what you deserve. Tiyeni nayo dununa reverse!!

  8. I DO NOT REALLY SEE THE REASON WHY TOLL FEES SHOULD GO UP FROM THE CURRENT AMOUNT IN THE SENSE THAT BARELY A MONTH OR SO, THESE GUYS WERE BOASTING THAT THEY ARE MAKING SO MUCH MONEY FROM JUST ONE TOLL GATE. THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY VEHICLES PASSING THROUGH THESE TOLL GATES. BESIDES, WE ARE ALREADY CHARGED ROAD TAX ON OUR VEHICLES. ON THE OTHER HAND, GOVT MUST LOOK AT THESE TOLL FEES FROM THE BUSINESS POINT OF VIEW, THE MORE CHARGES WE HAVE, THE LESS TRAFFIC (ESPECIALLY FOREIGN) WE WILL HAVE. MMD LEFT A LOT OF MONEY, WHERE DID THAT MONEY GO? LET THOSE WHO SHARED IT PAY BACK INSTEAD OF PUNISHING US WITH SO MANY EXPENSES WHICH ARE NOT SUPPORTED BY A CORRESPONDING INCOME FOR MANY OF US

    • Jay Jay mismanagement, theft and corruption is the cause of empty coffers. Now that they have 5 years, they can do as they please. Its painful.

    • There is nothing peaceful in Zed with laws that recognize action that is “likely” to breach the peace. You will have your cars tear gassed at that rate. But go ahead and good luck.

  9. You surely voted for the government which does not care about its people. Just tighten your belts. Food is going up is going up too! Survival of the most corrupt in Zambia now.

  10. Lusaka Times (LT) – this article is misleading because the numbers do not add up. You say toll fees are up by 100% and collections will be from K40million to K400million per month – This is not 100% increase? This is 1,000% increase.
    At the end of article you say Collections will be K4.8million per year yet the monthly collection will move from K40million to K400million. Please send your scribes and editors for basic math lessons.

    • apart from just increasing by 100% they are building and commissioning new toll sites too.. e.g chingola road. and kitwe ndola etc…. simple really

  11. Mr. William Chilufya’s complaint is not founded. He says he works in Lusaka and has to pay K1,200 per month.
    It is a Minibus that will be required to pay K40 x 30 days = K1,200 per month. If Chilufya is using his car then he will only be required to pay K20 x 30 days = K600.
    For Taxis and trucks they must pay up for road maintenance since they are the major culprits in damaging the roads. However, all these hikes will still be borne by the general populace. If I own a Minibus and the toll goes up or fuel goes up, I will just inflate my fares so that I continue getting the same profit margin. The loser is the customer boarding my Minibus.

    • kafue to lusaka K20.00 ( to work)
      Lusaka to Kafue K20.00 ( going back home)
      K20 + K20 =K40.00 X 30=K1200.00
      unless the one does not pay on the return journey.

    • C.General The arithmentic I learn in sub-B tells me that K20 Kafue – Lusaka plus K20 Lusaka to Kafue is K40 multiplied by 30 days it is K1,200. and not K600. Thanks

  12. @C-General, you will get a headache with LT reporting (widespread across Zed media anyways). It is like sticking a fish with all its bones and navigating the flesh as you swallow. Most of what is written must be spat out as you read… very painful reading most of the time as some nonsense slips through and gores the mental throat.

  13. Brethen, are you aware that LCC has handed over Lusaka CBD parking to a company called Parkrite? And effective next Monday, parking fees will be K5 per hour ? I wonder why this shocking development has not caught the media and general public’s attention. So ontop of the toll fees, you know have to worry about parking fees! LCC was charging K2 per hour initially!

  14. Where did the Zwk 1.6 billion disappear to that was collected from the toll gates up north?

    You see when you have a government of theives who only think the the only way a country can make money is borrowing, you have a situation where citizens are made to pay for their incompetence and stealing when borrowing dries up.

  15. Mwamoneni result of your vote punishment. Kafue residents who work in Lusaka uluse ene where are you going to get that money. Ronald Chitotela ninshi bakamba namupepa bostik. Mwalayipaya abanthu.

  16. #TOLLFEESMUSTFALL COMING SOON! OTHERWISE THIS IS BS AND A STAND HAS TO BE TAKEN ASAP! THUMBS UP FOR THE FIRST STEP CHILUFYA

  17. KAFUE MAZABUKA ROAD IS PATHETICSIMPLY BECAUSE ITHEADSTO THE OPPOSITION STRONGHOLD, BUT NOW SOMEONE WANTS SOUTHERNERS WHO DRIVE TO ANDFROM LUSAKA TO BE PAYING TOLL FEES. USELESS *****S.

    • Don’t be stup!d. Did you have to mention a “certain region” which is an “opposition stronghold”? Not everything is political.You are a Zambian, try to be patriotic and offer sensible solutions. Where is your logic? You are too emotional for nothing. Very immature.

  18. For sure the hike is punitive! Takwaba iya so, the Minister is exempted, so he has the audacity to announce the hike, it is dununa reverse! zoona!!

  19. I believe that the Government should build more toll gate on all major roads instead of hiking the fees on the existing ones. This way those who are crying foul can have a relief.

  20. Very quick at announcing charges but slow in prosecuting when the fees go missing. Too high charges only promote corruption. Look at the traffic offence fees if they are benefiting the GRZ. If the fees/ charges were reasonable, no one would risk his job for almost nothing. THINK TWICE! Don’t kill the hen that lays the golden eggs.

  21. This is ridiculous how can they do that? We haven’t seen government vehicles on the list, are they exempted from this? Can Lungu pay K500 for his presidential traffic jams? Be serious with people’s income that K1200 is a lot for toll gates only.

  22. C general… Please read what the minister circulated and u will notice that the smallest vehicle pay 20 *2/ which is 40… Mule joba not by cadre..

  23. I THINK I NEED TO TAKE SOME EXTRA LESSONS ON BASIC MATHS. I AM SORRY FOR MISLEADING MYSELF – I THOUGHT THE TRIP KAFUE-LUSAKA THEN LUSAKA-KAFUE WAS ONLY ONE WAY TICKET. I THINK I AM GROWING OLD OR I AM ON TOO MUCH RUSSIAN VODKA.

  24. I am writing in support of everyone who is complaining about the toll road to mazabuka and Zimbabwe and so, honestly who brought that idea of charging people on these death traps of roads in Zambia, where is all the monies going in the first place, who is in charge of environmental strategies in Zambia, how on earth can he or she bring herself to face the fact, Zambia has got a long to go before you start asking people to pocket your pockets, this is what is happening, I was so disappointed to see what was going on, when are you government people going to stop your corruption, haven’t you learn anything from other countries e.g. Botswana look at it, a shining example for Africa, Zambia be ashamed, the roads are not worth a penny, therefor they are not worth charging, fix the roads then…

  25. Hiya! Folks! Buba again! I was in Zambia in November and I happen to use that mazabuka road, the queue was unbelievable if you want to copy Europe look at their roads, then take a ? at yours no comparison. Hands down. I nearly refused to and I complained terribly, as it a shocking discovery, people should stand up and protest about it, I would if I was in Zambia, how dare does the government think they do what they like, their responsibilities is to work for the people of Zambia. Not busy pocketing their pockets, shame on you Zambian government,

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