Friday, March 29, 2024

President Lungu affirms commitment to the Kazungula bridge

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President Edgar Lungu and Botswana President Dr. Ian Khama tour the first stage construction of the Kazungula Bridge Project costing $162 Million

President Edgar Lungu has said the Governments of Zambia and Botswana will stick to the promise they have given to their people to complete the construction of Kazungula Bridge.

Mr Lungu said he and Botswana President Seretse Khama Ian Khama would continue visiting the project to ensure that the progress they saw was maintained.

He was speaking at CRESTA Mowana Safari Lodge in Botswana’s Kasane town during a joint media briefing with Dr Khama after a tour of the Bridge Project on both sides of the Zambezi River.

“We will be coming to these projects in six months or a years time to make sure the progress we have seen is maintained because this is the promise we have made to the people of Botswana and Zambia.

“We will stick to the time we have given ourselves to execute the project,” he said.

He said the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region had embarked on regional integration which was one way in which countries in the region were going to integrate.

Mr Lungu, who left Kasane International Airport for Lusaka around 13 hours, said Africa was looking to trading within Africa.

“If Zambia and Botswana succeeds, there will be more trade in the region and beyond.This project is not only for Botswana and Zambia but it is intended
to invite and excite investment from outside so that Africans can begin to trade among themselves.

“Several times we look to beyond Africa in terms of trade including political influence at the end we see this as a mark of bonding between Botswana and Zambia in trade, economic growth and prosperity of the people,” he said.

The Head of State also thanked contractors and engineers for a good safety record from the time construction started in 2014.

“So far minor incidents have been recorded since the start of the actual works.Keep it up in terms of safety standards because we worry about this
project because we don’t want to lose lives,” he said.Mr Lungu said many more projects would come on board once the Bridge project was completed.

“When this project succeeds, many more will come. I also appreciate the challenges Botswana is facing in opening up the railway line and challenges experts have in environmental protection, in designing and implementation.

“I am sure something can be done to sustain a balance between our wildlife, fauna and the rail road because we know that this part of Botswana has impeccable record of wildlife preservation and tourism,”he said.

He said the two countries wouldn’t want to sacrifice the environment that they had sustained very well in Botswana at the expense of bringing prosperity in terms of the railway road.

“The challenge is on you Botswana people working with experts worldwide in finding solutions so that we can have a win-win solution so that we can have this rail road running because most of our roads in Zambia are adversely affected by cargo which sometimes weighs beyond the limit the roads can take.

“I know these roads are supposed to take a number of years but most of the times they wear and deteriorate faster because of the excess cargo,” he said.

Speaking at the same meeting, Dr Khama said the Kazungula Project was remarkable and it would further strengthen the relationship between Zambia and Botswana.He said the project was in line with the SADC emphasis on industrialisation and regional integration.

“The Kazungula Bridge project is well positioned in Southern Africa and we look forward to furthering our cooperation with the two countries,” he said.

46 COMMENTS

    • He looks old because he really works for his country. He is always thinking about how to develop his country. Compare him with your playboy in zed and you will see a big difference.

    • Let hope Botswana are the treasurer for the rest of that $165 million. Leaving it to state House in Woodlands, Zambia, they will just be sending bills for Presidential visits allowances.

    • This shows just exactly how brainless Lungu is!

      Does he really think it is an option to stop construction halfway through the process and write off all the BORROWED money that has already been spent on it?

      Somebody please tell him that this is not a kantemba tavern in Chiwama he is dealing with, this is the economic future of 13 million Zambians.

      But maybe they told him before, and his Jamesoni brain is too damaged to understand.

    • He is a hard working man unlike our Lazy Bone Edgar who has time for relaxing every 3 days going for 3 day hoildays!!

  1. Why do we need the president to be personally visiting a bridge construction? The lieutenants of his lieutenants of his lieutenants can do that. not even a permanent secretary should be frequenting the bridge. He can be informed electronically if he has interest. There are pressing matters facing the nation that he should be attending to. For once spend time in the office leading.

    • This is work, stupid. You are either illiterate or illiterate to see the inspection by the two heads of state as a light matter.

  2. These are Trips president Lungu should be undertaking. With Normal regional presidents. For the betterment of SADC residents.

  3. Cresta Mowana in Kasane is a lovely place to relax after looking at a bridge. Unlike the other side of the bridge. Aaah the perks of the job

    • Its no wonder the PF Tourism Ministry lamentably failed to hit the one million mark for tourists visiting Zambia when you have a Lazy president who is busy promoting tourism across the river !!

  4. President Khama is a great leader that has maintained his country’s economy. Truelly I agree with Nzelu these are the regional leaders along the likes of Tanzania’s Magafuli that as Zambia we need to align ourselves more with.

    • Khama embarrasses Zambian leaders. That’s why Satan freaked out when he went to Botswana in 2012 and behaved badly. Lungu is safer with other failures like Mugabe and Museveni. Khama outclasses Lungu.

  5. Just because Botswana president wears chisote lungu nayeve ati nayine nifuno vala chisote..useless president with no plans

  6. @ Lombe, No.: 1
    The man was born on 27 February 1953 and that makes him 64 years old this year. I think he looks his age.

  7. Lazy Lungu could have easily taken a ZAF morning flight to Livingstone and a helicopter to this construction site…what is the point of staying CRESTA Mowana Safari Lodge, do you not have things to do in State house?

  8. @Mmosadi, I hope Lungu learns something about Mowana. But Zambian leaders never learn anything. Our side is always a mess and they don’t realise why many tourists would only go to a better place. While Botswana wants to build a railway line, Zambia should have been building a dual carriage way up to the border with Botswana than using the billions of dollars for the Eastern province which should have waited for a little while since there’s much trade there.

  9. If Lungu wants to inspect these projects every 6 months he needs to sort out his illegitimacy first. The Petition will not go away until its heard and disposed off. The Petition is Lungu’s Passport to legitimacy. Already AU has de-recognised Lungu and SADC will have no choice but to follow suit. Lungu is illegitimate becoz he was not democratically elected and his inauguration is illegal and unconstitutional. The Petition gives Lungu an opportunity to prove in Court that he truly and fairly won the 2016 Elections. Lungu badly needs to vindicate himself b4 he starts thinking of inspecting projects illegitimately.

  10. if I was president in country with 2 million people with 4 million cows and diamonds it would be great too.. ECL presides over a country with about 14 million people under adverse conditions. don’t compare eggs with bananas. you UPND cadres are working over time looking for failures, mistakes and insulting. what kind of evil is that? Let’s rather work together to develop Zambia while you look for a president that MIGHT win you elections in 2021. mula ndi chima

    • Zambia has far more resources ,more farm land and more water, lakes,rivers and many game parks and gained independence before Bots, but still can’t get it right. per sq km the population is the same. (even the cows, goats and chickens!) The difference is Botswana’s want to succeed and avoid corruption and live in peace not like Zambia’s Bemba’s
      One wonders why Zambia Tourism Agency is not working with Botswana Tourism but instead works with the worlds biggest loser Zimbabwe.Wake up Zambia

  11. Thanks Mr. president that’s the way forward. sometimes when you want something done to your desired standard in life, do it yourself. Please do the inspections as many times as possible to ensure a good bridge comes up. As a businessman , I have used this route a millions times and I fully understand its importance to Zambia, RSA , Zimbabwe, Botswana , DRC and the rest of the world. How I wish my friend chilufya was here to see the bridge because he was a driver driving the overloaded P.E.V south African truck that destroyed the pontoon and died on t spot M.H.S.R.P.I Every other two months I do drive to kazungula just to appreciate what is happening and its really impressive.

    • How can this bridge be important to Zimbabwe, for over 20 years Zim tried to stop it because once the bridge is built no trucks will go through Zim. (the bridge is curved to avoid going through Zim water space. If the bridge was build in the 90’s you friend would have not died on the unsafe pontoon. And yes take a look at the good quality Bots pontoon and then the dangerous Zam pontoons very scary.

  12. UPND cadres on this site are looking for anything that can be taken as a fault by Lungu to criticise him in the hope that Zambians will start thinking of voting for Hakaivotela Humwine. Can’t Never.

  13. Actually the more they display their hatred the more they loose ground to PF and Edgar Chagwa Lungu. Hatred is for the Devil that’s why they worship their god HH and believe all he says . Even when they won in 3 Provinces because HH says they won they belive , even upto now they still believe that their god HH will be declared the winner

  14. KAZUNGULA BRIDGE IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO ZAMBIA`S ECONOMICAL RECOVERY, IMAGINE HOW QUICK ZRA INCOME SHALL FLOW IN AND OUT THROUGH TRANSIT TRUCKS A DAY, ALIS ZRF TOLL GATE, AWESOME. LET ZRA CAPTURE ALL BOARDER CROSSING EFFECTIVELY AND ZAMBIA SHALL REALISE THE ADVANTAGES OF BEING LAND LINKED. MOST TRUCKERS CONNECT THROUGH ZAMBIA TO OTHER COUNTRIES, ALIOS.

  15. Mr President, wat about the sesheke route that links DRC? Who are you waiting for to repair this economic road???

  16. Are you aware of the state of this road? From Namibia thru katima, i have to travel to mongu then lusaka. Sir you have your priprities upside down

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