Tuesday, March 19, 2024

World Bank Approves $ 200 Million for Rural Roads in Zambia

Share

World bank building in Washington

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved a $ 200 million International Development Association (IDA) credit under the IDA17 Scale-up Facility for Zambia to improve selected rural roads in six of Zambia’s ten provinces. Government will finance the remaining four provinces.

According to the Rural Access Index, only 17 percent of rural population live within 2 km of a good road in Zambia, leaving about 7.5 million rural residents unconnected to the road network in the country. The Improved Rural Connectivity Project will benefit 460,000 people in the targeted rural areas.

“The Improved Rural Connectivity Project is significant for Zambia, because it will improve connectivity in rural areas where poverty levels are particularly high,” said Ina Ruthenberg, World Bank Country Manager for Zambia. “Besides the project providing improved connectivity to schools, markets, health facilities, and jobs for the rural communities, it has the transformational potential of positioning Zambia as the regional food basket, contributing towards economic diversification.”

The project supports the Government’s development priorities as reflected in the National Development Plan and Vision 2030.The majority of the rural population in Zambia depend on subsistence farming for their livelihoods. The funds for this project will facilitate agricultural development in the country by improving farmers’ accessibility to markets.

“The project will also contribute towards addressing institutional capacity challenges, particularly in the area of road maintenance and road safety in Zambia, where feeder roads are largely in poor condition,” said Justin Runji, World Bank Senior Transport Specialist.

Zambia’s is currently serviced by a road network of 67,671 km; rural roads are in poor conditions making it difficult for small scale farmers to access markets for their produce.

57 COMMENTS

    • The World banks has schrewed Financial analysts and would have looked at the Risk appetite and risk rewards of Zambia.

      They have looked and know borrowing Zambia is not risky and they will get their money as per evidence in all major credit agencies which have Zambia classed as A+.

      This shows that PF and this Government and perceived favourable worldwide

      How about a round of applause at this monumental decision by the World Bank

      Who needs IMF?

      World bank > IMF

      Thanks

      BB2014,2016

    • That’s just for 209 km. Just road construction is world most expensive, much more those in mountains or sand deserts.

    • Ba pf I support you but please do not disappoint us by misusing the funds. Use the funds for the intended purpose.

    • Who taught ECL Live Streaming? He is Live Streaming everything! Eating Mango, Live Stream, boarding his pland, live stream…..
      And that line, fellow countrymen and women is irritating …Let’s tone it down, eh!

    • Now let’s wait to hear what haters in the Unhappy People Never Develop, Unproductive Part Now Defunct, have to say to this!

    • I am glad that everyone including the UPND is now praying for the government to succeed.

      PF supporters are praying for the government to succeed; the UPND have also started praying for the PF government to succeed.

      This is why there is so much international confidence in our economy. Everyone wants to invest in Zambia including the World Bank.

      In case there are any who are still wishing and praying for the government to fail, they are wasting their energies and previous time.

    • @Mushota, you have exposed your lack of education. The WB is not borrowing Zambia; the WB is lending to Zambia.

    • WB funding 6/9 provinces and our Govt 4/9 and you celebrate that the Govt is working? Sad grabbers! These are signs of poverty. We are supposed to be givers and not receivers. Something is wrong here and you who are celebrating are failures.

  1. Haters will say there is no development in Zambia under EL – one wonders what this is.
    We need very good road network, this is the backbone of a health economy for all developed nations. We just need to do it with good drainage system alongside to make sure the quality of the road is sustainable.

    • The WB should watch PF like a hawk watching a rat. Otherwise this money will be stolen and also used to arm the PFolice with more dogs, machine guns and armoured trucks for intimidating and harassing nationals.

  2. Another credit to be repaid, can the World donors please realise that we need long term employment, we need guidance to produce product for export we need access to export markets. We are not a western country where cars are the major form of transport. Jobs and regular income are essential, then as a nation we can look at providing the infrastructure from our own resources. Do handouts/loans with conditions imposed for use really assist the pipo that are crying out for steady income. Does the rest of the world have a collective guilt about the treatment of traditional pipo to the extent that they keep giving loans/ assistance. How do pipo learn to stand on their own two feet. Respect and progression can come from pipo with pride in themselves and from earning their future.
    Let…

    • @Masalamuso I agree with you. Donors will keep giving as long as you keep asking. It needs to be a collaborative effort and Zambia should take a leaf from countries in the EAC. Government and Private sector collaborate, invest and provide expertise.

  3. @munone, it depends what you understand as development…not to say you are wrong but for me basic needs is key then education and health then realization of potential last. Whilst you are it, please seek to understand the difference between progress and development. of course Zambia is progressing infrastructurewise that is without doubt…development is measured best by how much the country has moved up on the Human Development Index. the last time I checked Zambia was still wallowing in the bottom quarter. I hope we will have a discussion not partisan politics. I don’t like both UPND and Pf. the neutral voice like mine has been swallowed by the two groups.

    • You need to travel widely for you to understand these terminologies – googling alone isn’t enough.
      ‘Develop means to grow or change into a more advanced, larger, or stronger form, or to make something do this’ – end of quote.
      This must help you understand what development means – dont entangle yourself in words you dont full understand to avoid ‘chocking to death’.

    • @Munone I am not at all trying to picking a fight with you, I just thought we could engage in both the merits and demerits of ‘development’. I do understand your train of thought and I give credit for that, although I thought you would spare to ponder on what I was raising. I am sorry if you think I am chocking to death. like I said, you raised some fundamental issues that I thought we could debate on.

    • I am lost: Progress and Development. These are viewed in Economics I m sure. In my understanding progress will eventually lead to development and vice versa. Zambia has made huge progress in infrastructure development. Does it make sense?

  4. Let Africans regsin their pride. Western nations encourage recipients of social benefits to re enter the workforce so that they can contribute to their future. Yet they are constantly donating to Zambia without putting place programmes to generate ongoing income. When you are a recipient of welfare benefits ypu can lose self respect and incentive to work. Please get the World thinktanks to develop ways to create lasting employment. Roads to and from nowhere help nobody. Rural zambians have a fantastic work ethic. Find reasons why we can progress not reasons why we have to be treated as pariahs…….amen

  5. More loans on top of loans…so this equates to 200km of rural roads at $1million/km quotation…a road with no drainage or lighting.

  6. Mushota you are a wanker ,you are not helping zambia. Dont be the devils advocate just to stimulate this site or to stimulate yourself, if you are as intelligent as you say you are give us ways how zambia can progress or just keep up your petty political diatribe and let the rest of us laugh at your immature and disruptive posts
    You are not a patriotic zambian just a devisive egotistical attention seeker.

    • Nanga iwe problem yako nichani? Leave Mushota alone…it’s called Freedom of expression in case you didn’t know atase iwe!

    • You are proud with begging were is our money we pay for toll gates.This is donotion to likes of Kaizer Zulu young brother who bought Lungu’s hat at k185,000.

  7. let them come and manage the construction otherwise we shall see poor quality roads having cracks just after a few months.

    • Government needs money to move this country forward.
      Development will only come either through LOANS or TAXING heavily – there is nothing like self reliance, we are a global village depending on each other directly or indirectly.
      Even USA and China are servicing loans.

  8. Kaloba after Kaloba, nkongole after nkongole. PF00ls have no clue of how to repair the economy except via loans from china, IMF, world Bank, IMF, ADB, local banks, Govt Bonds, etc. Govt is living beyond its means & has no capability to pay these Kaloba loans.

    It’s like a security guard goes & buys a Ferrari on credit. He’ll shine for a few days but when time comes to pay, he’ll have to sacrifice even money for food, rent etc.

    By next year 75% of revenue raised will go to debt servicing instead of going to health & education. lungu & his PF regime is a reckless, careless bunch of wankers. Didn’t we learn enough from how debt crippled the country in the 80s & 90s?

    Dancing after drinking from a poisoned chalice, as Fred Mmembe put it.

    Will people eat roads?

    • Govts world over main business is to provide opportunities for its citizens to grasp and use them to put food on their tables. Its not the business of govt to engage in business. If you can’t see an opportunity from this then you are dead.

    • It’s irresponsible for Govt to borrow more than they can afford. A deficit BOPs due to a large portion of taxes going to loan repayments leads to inflation. Default on loans leads to serious penalties & even higher interest rates.

      Don’t act dumb coz you are definitely not. Stup1d policies by your president will lead to immense suffering. Think beyond road contracts.

  9. Someone please tell me Kaoma-Kasempa road will be done now. Once upgraded the road will significantly shorten the route between mineral-rich NW Zambia and VoLvis (Walvis) bay. It will also reduce the volume of traffic on the Lusaka-CB road, thereby significantly increase its life span. We hope for the best.

  10. Six provinces to be done from this loan and govt to finance 4 provinces. I know the six provinces to benefit from the loan I hope you also know the remaining provinces. It pays to be party of Pf and a patriotic zambian.

  11. Bravo to World Bank!!please keep it up.

    I know haters in UPND are sad about this good news for Zambia especially that this money from World Bank has come at a time when their chairman HH is in jail!!UPND has been telling us that IMF or World Bank cannot give any money to Edgar Lungu’s PF Govnt because of the arrest of HH,BUT WHO HAS HIVEN ZAMBIA THIS $200 MILLION?kekekekekeke.who knows HH or who can support HH’s bad behaviour in Mongu?The UK HC openly confirmed to all upnd dreamers that blocking presidential motorcade cannot be supported world-over!!!

    THANK YOU VERY MUCH WORLD BANK FOR HELPING MOTHER ZAMBIA!!KEEP IT UP!!IMF SHOULD FOLLOW SUIT SOON!!

    VOTE PF IN 2021 FOR ZAMBIA TO DEVELOP FURTHER!!!

    • No shame at all…where is our pride? LAZY LUNGU spent the selfsame amount on importing solar hammer mills all the way from China.To date there is no return on investment, money simply goes into their pockets…they tell you how much they get from toll gates but can not state how much they get from hammermills…meaning it was a waste of taxpayers funds.

  12. Thank you a World Bank. BUT PLEASE PF, WE WANT RESPONSIBLE USE OF MONEY AND NO CORRUPTION. We are keeping an eye on you for 2021.

    There will be no favours in supporting you for 2021, because you’ve had long enough to show your credibility. It’s going to be tough. Keep an eye on shoddy poor workmanship.

    • Really laughable ..its like asking a pack of wild wolves to guard your flock of sheep…good luck with that!!

  13. 7.5 million people have no access to roads,that’s poverty and here on LT we playing politics,we should be telling the politicians to stop driving 150 000 dollar SUVs while other citizens don’t even have a road to pull there oxcart on,not these partisan debates that we engaged in day in day out

  14. I hope we shall apply the funds to the intended purpose. Engage Contractors who can do a quality job, so that roads can last five years before we begin repair and maintenance works.

  15. I am glad that everyone including the UPND is now praying for the government to succeed.

    PF supporters are praying for the government to succeed; the UPND have also started praying for the PF government to succeed.

    This is why there is so much international confidence in our economy. Everyone wants to invest in Zambia including the World Bank.

    In case there are any who are still wishing and praying for the government to fail, they are wasting their energies and previous time.

  16. If HH was around he would have flatly rejected this assistance on behalf of the government. He would have lobbied the directors of the World Bank not to provide the funds as he is happy with his villagers in those areas of high UPND votes to continue using dust roads and scotch carts. Anyway he is likely to succeed as his MPs are on a boycott of all government functions and responsibilities in their areas, and this money happens to be channelled through that very government. So guys in southern, engage your MPs, if development passes you by, awe sure dont blame Edgar Chagwa Lungu, he cannot force your MPs to accept development. Oh sorry except Princess Kasune who has readily accepted to work with government for development. The rest of the donkeys have to wait for HH to grade one or two…

  17. Not good news for donkeys whose satanic duty is to wish and pray for misfortune to fall on their country. Remember their comments on what they thought was a failed deal? Well, thime World Bank is a twin sister of the IMF. Now if you needed more proof of donkey reasoning, look no further.
    Donkeys are beings that would do exactly the same thing that they are condemning and they think everyone is blind. Like I said its not an insult but a statement of fact. Ans you know what, they actually know it themselves.

  18. The big problem is ,by the time we finish paying back this loan those roads will have started getting damaged again thereby defeating the whole purpose of the loan. Remember there are much bigger loans that we still owe other financial institutions. Are we going to continue living on borrowed funds till Kingdom come?

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