Infrastructure and Housing Ronald Chitotela has announced that works for the construction of the Kafulafuta toll plaza on the Great North Road have been suspended.
Mr Chitotela said the works have been suspended waiting for the Road Development Agency to finish with contractual process of a new contractor who is to continue with works.
Mr Chitotela on Saturday announced the termination of the contract for Nzovu because of failure to execute the job.
He said he is not personally not happy with the contractor after visiting Manyumbi Toll Plaza where Nzovu Transport Enterprises was the main Contractor.
“As Government we want to support our local contractors to the fullest, however the attitude towards work is what bring our morale down. A good example is the same Nzovu Transport whom Government through NRFA has fully supported in terms of payments and other logistical requirements, but he has decided to delay finishing the project which was supposed to be handed over to Government in 2015. It is now over 24 months and the project is still not done,” Mr Chitotela said.
He added, “As Minister in charge of Infrastructure and Housing, I will not be part of letting the Zambian people. I have a duty to do as assigned by His Excellency Mr Edgar C Lungu whose desire is to see a different Zambia with a happy people, hence, I will not allow any contractor to be a hindrance to that in regards to delivering on the promise. Serious measures will be taken without looking at who, what matters to us as Government is the Zambian people’s happiness and safety.”
Mr Chitotela said he has asked for a round table meeting at his office regarding the contract of Nzovu Transport Enterprises with officials from RDA and National Road Fund Agency and the Consultant to see the way forward.
Thumps up bwana minister thats the way to go. Let other govt official follow suit.
Who owns Nzovu? Is it another PF cadre who has spent all the money on a Range Rover instead of finishing the job?
Buck Teeth Lungu: Nzovu construction is owned by a UPND cadre who stood for elections in Nampundwe and lost to an independent MP there. Not all PF cadres are awarded contracts. Contracts are awarded to deserving contractors who inevitably find themselves in such compromising situations and then fail to complete contracts. Black Zambian contractors should honestly up the game. However this situation might not entirely be the faught of Nzovu but a combination of both Client and Contractor
@Miya: your point is taken. I hope it is not a case of starving him of cash payments around election time to show him up. PF can be so vindictive.
Black man needs a white man and a Chinese. Toll Plaza?
That’s the only problem with us Zambians..we cry that investors are taking over our contracts,but see this nzovu thing…..
He was even given another extra 24months,but still he has failed and we are passing through the bad gravel road at manyumbi..
Chitotela cancel that inzovu thing and put someone serious.
“He said he is not personally not happy with the contractor after visiting Manyumbi Toll Plaza ” hen why is he halting the project?
AFRICAN’S, AFRICAN’S, AFRICAN’S!!
The only things we appear to excell in is stealing, drunkenness, dancing, & s9x!
Look @ Salisbury, & compare the city to Harare today. Even look at photos of Lusaka in 1964, & Lusaka today. Though smaller, the Lusaka in 64 was a clean, sober & sensible beautiful little city with no bonehead cadres in control.
We then wonder why racist stereotypes are perpetuated world over??
Please no one starts with the tired tripe of colonialism & slavery did us a disservice, as there are nations that were equally colonised in the far east, & had less than Zambia at Independence, but are now thriving nations & functioning Non failed economies.
@Keleni – you are so on the ball right there! Unfortunately the buffoon we have in State House is all those despicable things that racists want to prove we are only good at. Why can’t we put in a good day’s work on our own account? It is easy when there’s a foreigner on your back wanting the job to be done but otherwise it is chiyeye. Why keep on blaming the past when we are not managing the present and the future?
Thats a way to go bwana ministre.most of the local contractors are the latedown.put a more serious contractor.
I’m sure payment was executed to the contractor and he has blown it away. Well let the government finish the road between Sinda and Petauke that has been unattended for ages then attend to these controversial issues . What a shame the longest stretch has been done by the contractor and the portion remaining for the government can not be completed . Looks like it will be a life time pending stretch.