Thursday, March 28, 2024

China to build a light railway service in Lusaka

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The newly built trains for the Addis Abeba Light Rail Transit (LRT) constructed by China. A similar project is now planned for Lusaka City
The newly built trains for the Addis Abeba Light Rail Transit (LRT) constructed by China. A similar project is now planned for Lusaka City

Lusaka Mayor Wilson Kalumba has revealed that China Railway is exploring possibilities of constructing a tram service in Lusaka.

A tram is a rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and sometimes on a segregated right of way. 

Mr Kalumba said he recently met officials from China Railway who are currently in the country on investigations for feasibility study related to construction of light railway and operation of tram service in Lusaka.

He said the tram service will run from Chongwe through Lusaka with interconnections to some areas in Lusaka to Kafue.

The Lusaka Mayor said China Railway has already delivered a similar project in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia which is already in operation.

Mr Kalumba said China Railway will finance, build and operate the tram service.

“As LCC we have assembled a team to work with China Railway so that we are able to deliver on our objective to improve public transport in Lusaka,” Mr Kalumba said.

31 COMMENTS

    • Why can’t we just out source everything even the Presidency to the Chinese…in the end poverty shall reduce significantly..and that is what matters…

    • This will dicongest the roads. Thank you ECL. In meantime, HH is busy kissing up to Racists and selling off our country’s sovereignty and dignity.

    • This is what we need to hear and not the airline drama. The project will not only make moving easy but beautify the city.

    • Great news! We are praying hard for this wisdom to continue. Zambians must benefit from wealth of the nation. Once key infrastructure is up & running there will be no excuse for unproductivity. We must continue working hard. Let’s learn from the Chinese & replicate this infrastructure ourselves to rest of the country. It doesnt matter where lessons come from. China, RSA, USA, UK. Lets learn all the good stuff. I’m loving this. God Bless Zambia.

  1. WOW! AT LAST SOMEONE FROM CHINA IS THINKING FOR ZAMBIA ENGINEERS WHO THINK IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR ZAMBIA TO HAVE ELECTRIC TRAINS. GOD BLESS THIS CHINA AND THE CHINESE PEOPLE. WHAT A RELIEF IT WOULD BE HAVING ORGANISED COMMUTING IN THE CITIES AND OTHER BIG TOWNS IN ZAMBIA. THIS HAS BEEN LONG, LONG, LONG OVERDUE. PLEASE, CHINA START, NOW. DON’T LISTEN TO ZAMBIAN ENGINEERS WHO THINK IT’S NOT POSSIBLE TO HAVE ELECTRIC TRAINS IN ZAMBIA. OR MAYBE BECAUSE YOUR SKIN IS WHITE THEY WILL LISTEN TO YOU. CLIVE CHIRWA WAS NEVER LISTENED TO.

    • I have a good reason to believe that there are a number of Zambian engineers involved in this. Local technical know-how is a necessity in such projects.
      Besides, it takes at least 5,000 workers to complete such a railway project, and I don’t think all the posts will be filled by Chinese.

      It will certainly be a catalyst for economic development once it is completed and I hope they wont compromise on quality.

    • @2 Peter, It is NOT the fault of Zambian Engineers that many things cannot be done by Zambians. It is the faulty of politicians! In Ethiopia, the Chinese built the tram in Addis Ababa and high speed railway line from Djibouti using a mix of local and Chinese labor. As @2.1 Nine Chale has put it THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED HERE TO!! Zambian Engineers NEVER FOUGHT CHIRWA, he was fought by the rotten political system of self interested business men involved in road transport who saw Chirwa’s proposals as a danger to their businesses !! Today as we speak, PROGRESSIVE REFORMS ARE COMING TO THE TRANSPORT SECTOR since some of those businessmen are now weak politically!! SO,PLEASE DO NOT DESPISE ZAMBIAN ENGINEERS SOME OF WHO ARE WORKING IN ON VERY SOPHISTICATED PROJECTS IN ADVANCED COUNTRIES!!

  2. The Commuter Railway Transport Project is timely. It will take awhile to adjust and adopt new commuter habits. The city roads are unnecessarily congested but motorists are driving the family car even when there is no need to drive. The Zambian engineer will also build similar projects in other cities of the country. There is enough work for all engineers but patience is needed.

  3. About time….but at the rate we are going, we will be so indebted to China that in 2064, instead of our kids and their kids celebrating 100 years of independence, they shall be fighting Cha Cha Cha part II. against the Chinese for Zambia’s second independence. That is if the country will still be called Zambia or by a Chinese name such as Zhengmei or Xiaonzong….

    • Very Funny!
      You have a strong point. We are building up to that all so gradually.

      The Chinese economy to have sustained grow, it needs are materials we call natural resources. And they have figured out just where and how to get them. Ukupoke cinsenda ku nkoko….panono panono.

  4. Please, please, pass a law for every town to start building cycle lanes. Now is the time before all the spaces are taken up by rail lines, tarmac roads and those ugly buildings going up left right and centre.
    It will be a win win situation for the Country. Bicycles do not need petrol, electricity. People will be fitter and polution from cars can be mitigated. Africa has the chance to be the green continent. Let us grasp this chance.

  5. I like these guys ….. I mean just look everywhere!
    In conclusion, they might even help build children for us!
    “THE PRIDE PRICE.”

    • You might want to learn that we actually did that part already. Just google “Black China” and read about how Africans migrated to the far East as early as 50,000 BC – some spread to India and Australia, forefathering the Dravidians and Aborigines.

  6. “Mr Kalumba said China Railway will finance, build and operate the tram service.” …. And all of you imbeciles are busy celebrating!!!

    • @11 GBros, What is wrong that?? WE DON’T HAVE TECHNOLOGY, WE DON”T HAVE FINANCES, WE DON”T YET HAVE THE WORK CULTURE AND BUSINESS ACUMEN TO RUN THIS TYPE OF “NEW” TRANSPORT!! BUT PEOPLE NEED THIS TYPE OF SERVICE, so why NOT ASK THOSE WHO HAVE DONE IT ELSEWHERE UNDER SIMILAR CONDITIONS, IN ETHIOPIA!??

  7. It’s about time! I have been advocating for this and it good that someone out their can see sense in such a project. Just do it properly please and consider linking key commercial infrastructure such as airports, stadiums and shopping malls.

  8. Slowly colonising the fooools and they are jumping up and down without shame…can you not build a tramlink yourselves. Why should another country’s state company be building in your backyard for free!!
    Wake up from your docility!!

  9. Well our new era colonial masters are doing it again in another sector. Yes politics aside this is interesting and a good idea. But China should not be going it alone, govt should be taking up a chunk of such projects otherwise it will be expensive for the local users. The Chinese will be looking at getting back their money and eventually making profits. I wonder if they will even be paying taxes.

  10. Good intentions, but where is the “T” in this Finance Build Operate & “Transfer” Project. There needs to be a time when this project has to be transferred to the government. Even if it’s 20 years+ it should be sought. High traffic areas like Chalala to Lusaka West via Matero should be included in the feasibility studies even if this is phased to a later stage.

  11. From Chongwe? Why? I thought Matero, chawama, kafue, chilanga are more populated. Maybe Iam wrong. I have a better solution to decongest Lusaka. Relocate some services to other towns. Everything in zambia you have to travel to Lusaka, passport, driving licence Payslip, pension, bank statement , title deeds, just about everything. If some of these public services were moved to other towns, development will trickle down to those areas and help to decongest Lusaka. I know it is a big call!

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