Friday, March 29, 2024

Construction of the KKIA airport on course for completion in October 2019

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Looks of the 82% New Passenger Terminal at Kenneth Kaunda International (KKIA) the facility costing $360 million
Looks of the 82% New Passenger Terminal at Kenneth Kaunda International (KKIA) the facility costing $360 million

Construction of the airport infrastructure at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport is progressing well.

Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL) Communications and Brand Manager, Mweembe Sikaulu indicates that the overall percentage of the works stands at 75 percent and are expected to be completed in October 2019.

Ms. Sikaulu noted that the new passenger terminal is at 82 percent, while the Presidential Pavilion and the cargo terminal are at 81 and 85 percent respectively.

She also indicated that the rescue fire service station is at 98 percent complete.

And Ms. Sikaulu further revealed that the airport shopping mall is at 70 percent, airport office complex at 65 percent, while the hotel stands at 73 percent.

She was speaking during a conducted media tour of the construction of the airport infrastructure in Lusaka yesterday.

Meanwhile, Ms. Sikaulu noted that the completion of infrastructure projects at the international airport will help in addressing the anticipated increase in traffic, cargo volumes and passenger numbers.

She also added that the shopping mall will be able to provide service to residents within meanwood, and the surrounding areas including the airport users.

The total cost for the on-going works at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport is at a cost of 360 million United States dollars.

Looks of the 82% New Passenger Terminal at Kenneth Kaunda International (KKIA) the facility costing $360 million
Looks of the 82% New Passenger Terminal at Kenneth Kaunda International (KKIA) the facility costing $360 million

60 COMMENTS

    • Why the Chinese letters on the signage?
      Maybe its bcoz KKIA will be grabbed away by tu ma Chinese like they grabbed port in Sri lanka.
      Zambian govt is stone-broke to be able to repay $360 million on top of Eurobonds & other Chinese road loans.

      DeadNBC was grabbed by tu ma Choncholiz bcoz Govt failed to repay $25 million loan. What more $360 million?

      Lungu & his PF00Lish regime are auctioning national assets to foreigners, e.g. RATSA, Indeni, DeadNBC, Nitrogen Chemicals, markets etc. KKIA is next.

    • Hopefully the next time I go home everything will be done and running. Looking forward to spending time and some serious cash at the new facility.

      Hallelujah…..!!

    • Quoting from the Washington Post ….Today, Sri Lanka spends about 80 percent of its government revenue paying down what it calls “unprecedented” debt — often for near-empty highways or glossy international airports that host just one flight a day.
      Thank you PF caders if u thought what Chagwa is doing is anything Unique. This is development defined by China and for the Chinese

    • @Shameless: It is sometimes helpful to give factors that has led Sri Lanka to it’s current pissition. Just throwing out comparisons without context doesn’t help us much. Mind you, Zambia’s geographical location is not the same as Sri Lanka’s. So highways and airports may not be beneficial or economically advantageous the same way.

      I am sure you remember that once upon a time airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, and others, used to fly into Lusaka? They all stopped mainly due to poor airport facilities that didn’t meet international safety standards…. especially fire fighting standards. Of course there were maybe other reasons, but this was one of the major ones. So, who knows, with such improvements these airlines may resume the Lusaka rout again. Which entells more…

    • Continue …

      landing fees for Zambia/KKIA. Not to mention the use of other facilities and services which these airlines have to pay for.

      As for highways, all you have to do is look at the volume of foreign traffic (especially trucks) that go through Zambia at the moment for you to appreciate why we need bigger and better roads/highways.. And this is only going to increase as economies in Countries around Zambia keep growing. In short, Zambia’s central location might just be it’s saving grace compared to Sri Lanka. So let us have some context when making such comparisons.

    • 30% of govt revenue is already going to debt service. This is just to pay for interest. According to Alexander Chikwanda, next year, govt will start paying interest+principle amount.
      Where will broke PF00Lish regime get money to repay 360 million & Eurobonds & other chinese loans used for white elephant projects?

      Expect more taxes bane & printing more money.
      Visionless thieving PF00Lish regime is a failed experiment.

    • Here comes the white elephant, Nearly all flights to Africa go to Kenya, Because Kenya Airways has partnered with KLM and France Airline more so Kenya is a very attractive tourist destination, Where are you Zambians going to get the traffic to that massive airport, What a waste of money, EL is very dangerous accident that has happened to Zambia.

    • maloza – imagine mandarin is on the top and the official Zambian language is at the bottom…that says it all with this govt.

    • Yambayamba – Don’t hoodwink people here that the likes of BA and Lufthansa suspended flights to KKIA because of poor facilities …they suspended flights to Lusaka (LUN) because they are rip off merchants and could not handle the competition from johnny-come-lately airlines like Emirates, Qatar, Etihad who were offering cheaper and value for money tickets…I mean I have never flown BA on longhaul flight as its a ripoff and they are stuck up arrogant morons who refused to adapt and streamline operations…but opted to rip off poor Africans so their fat cat directors could continue enjoying their allowances.

    • They have already reduced the specification of this airport to scoop off the change. …if like getting a loan for a 5 bed house only to reduce the specification to 3 bed when the funds are credited in the account.

  1. Senagal just completed a better terminal for $500m but i guess this is still far better than the old stoneage KKIA terminal .And you don’t need a KKIA mall what’s more important is a duty free complex.

    • Was the $500 million just spent on the terminal? If so no wonder it is “better.” KKIA includes passenger terminal, cargo terminal, hotel, airport mall, office complex, fire service station, Presidential pavilion, etc. at only $360 million.

      So the comparison might not be fair considering how much the Senegalese were willing to spend. As they say, ‘YOU GET WHAT YOU PAID FOR.’ Just saying!

    • Mzambia wa Zamani – The $575 million Blaise Diagne International Airport is a completely new airport in a new location away from Dakar, also factor in that its projected to have 10 million per year passenger capacity making it third largest airport in Africa from Joburg and Cairo Airports. Remember also that this airport was also going to completed in 2011 but has been continuously been put forward.
      This airport is two-thirds funded by Saudi Binladin Group and has an express train link to Dakar city…in Zambia we contract cheap EXIM Bank Chinese loans (with limitations to using only Chinese products and companies) but then do not add up to date products in the project like transport links …

    • ..why should we construct hotels when a hotel operator can do it themselves, instead of focusing on self-sustaining infrastructure that will pay off the loan like multi-story carparks (long-stay – mid-stay), aircraft taxi ramps, terminals to attract bigger aircraft etc.We dont even know the projected passenger capacity for the new KKIA and whether it will accommodate larger aircraft such as A380….this is the information which you use to sell project to the public.

      NOTE; Senegal do not have a national airline yet they have managed to attract all the big airlines to new Blaise Diagne International Airport.

  2. our kids were born whilst they were still claiming to extend this airport. my kids arw now grown and even used the same airport to travel abroad for school and still nothing has changed. life under pf

    • Our kids were at preschool when u5 started losing elections. Now our kids are at unza studying medcine he is stil losing

    • What about this WhatsApp audio of Kambwili Vs Amos Chanda quarrel that has gone viral? Clearly, the two are potential guests of Chimbokaila hotel in that:
      1. Chanda sounds so sure about the alleged murder of a Chingola man by Kambwili, and the maiming of a Luanshya man too

      2. But Chanda himself is also guilty of having knowledge of such a heinous crime and not reporting it to the police. Surely this cant be acceptable especially for someone working in the Presidency. Could it be because of the skeleton he too may have in his closet that he doesn’t want revealed?

      UTSOGOLELI UNASILA PA ZED
      UBUTUNGULUSHI BWALIPWA PA ZED

  3. after completion ALL chinese-scripted directions and borads MUST be removed, english is the official zambian language !! That goes for ALL chinese constructed/funded Projects in Zambia !!

    • It is ok to dream.

      You folks better start learning cantonese or mandarin.

      It will soon be compulsory learning in schools there.

      Soon, you will start raising children that look half chinese, thinking you are the biological fathers.

      Meanwhile, Lungu will be sipping on Jameson in his Swazi mansion, laughing his head off.

      Brace yourself people. If you think things are tough in Zambia now, just you wait, the storm is brewing.

  4. Far much better than the stone age airport. But …. wait a minute – too much glass. Who chose this design. I am sure we were availed choices but this one – NO. What happens when cadres start throwing stones at each other at the airport whilst waiting for their president. I am sure there were better designs to choose from even cheaper because glass – glass – glass is expensive. Any good job machocholi you have done us wonders. We just lack good choices.
    Disaster!!!

    • What you’re saying is irrelevant. Almost all major Airports around the words have whole glass fittings. This makes the building more energy efficient during the day , and adds to architectural beauty.

  5. Ok. Good job ba pf. Dont let chaps here whose cheap lives have no link to airports distract you. But as you are already doing roads for them (to ride minibuses) you have catered for them. So its all good.

    • You are the selfsame bootlickers, reckless govt ministers like as you just praise blindly even when a project is overpriced and facilitated by a loan so long as its completed … when you are taxed heavily to repay these loans because the govt can not afford to payoff the loan you start crying.

    • Its political – What aerodynamics — the building requires an aerodynamic design for what? You do not even understand the weather patterns of Zambia to make such a laughable comment. You are not competent my friend to teach me about aerodynamics. Ati aerodynamics – do not pull engineering terms from a dictionary without understanding them. Compare the design of Dubai International Airport terminals and the KKIA terminal and come and talk about aerodynamics.

  6. Why such a huge overlay roof? Looks like an unnecessary expense for me. Do we need that overlay when I assume there will be boarding and disembarking tubes?

  7. Someone forgot to read the small print which was written in Chinese as usual! I won’t be surprised to hear that the Chinese have grabbed it for 99 years lease when those living today will not be there to rescue the situation. Zambians like good things but they don’t want to pay from their sweat! Good luck Zambians with your heavy indebtedness! What remains is for the creditors to come after your children to be sold into slavery! Changwa won’t be there to give an account. He has already said that his aim is to finish his term in 2026 elyo akaye! Where? Outside Zambia!

  8. What does the regulation say about the signage on / names of buildings? I believe it should not be in a non-official language. This goes to show how far the mandarin influence has penetrated the corridors of power.

  9. Guys you are mbuzi meeeee!!!! Why you condemn government for building new modern airport are you happy the way it was ? No matter how much I can hate pf but I like this new airport. Those glass are not like house glass windows for easily get dismantled with stones maybe you have never seen such airports in your life start travelling by air not bus you see airports

    • My friend its clear you will like anything built irrespective of the price….No one is condemning, this is why you are short-changed …you see a new $1.2 billion road you celebrate but when its time to pay back the loan for the road you ask yourself why you are repaying so much for a road and to add insult to injury their is also a toll gate on that road.

    • Union it is okay with a new airport, my worry is how we use it. An airport is a business venture. My only problem is the parading of cadres each time the President is travelling out and in the country. Someone told me this never happened under Mwanawasa.
      This needs to be done with see my comment below;

      One issue that needs to be stopped forthwith is the parading of cadres and ministers at the airport whenever the President is travelling out and back. It does not make any sense at all. This could just be any other reason as to why some airlines as someone has pointed out changed their plans and chose not land in Zambia. There is a safety risk involved. A plane scheduled to land or take off at the same time as the Presidential scheduled will cause issues. An emergence landing request…

    • They are wasting money on that Presidential Pavillion specifically for this pointless purpose of parading cadres and ministers …imagine how silly and useless this facility will look when you have a responsible and nonsense President in the future?

    • Union Bl00dy cadre, your nuts may be tickling now with Chinese money but wait until they start taxing you merely for having that pair of nuts dangling between your legs! Enjoy your ill-gotten money while it lasts! You must understand that there is nothing for free in this world! People are not against Infrastructure development but the manner in which it has been done in Zambia to the point of bankrupting the country. The many taxes and fines point to impending debt distress. This debt includes debt accrued for PF legalia in case you don’t know!

  10. Thanks China for saving us from the embarrassingly ugly and old KKIA terminal where nothing worked properly.It was dirty and had foul smell .

  11. One issue that needs to be stopped forthwith is the parading of cadres and ministers at the airport whenever the President is travelling out and back. It does not make any sense at all. This could just be any other reason as to why some airlines as someone has pointed out changed their plans and chose not land in Zambia. There is a safety risk involved. A plan scheduled to land or take off at the same time as the Presidential scheduled will cause issues. An emergence landing request can be a risk as well. It is time the President left and came back without all that chaos caused by every cadre assembling at the airport. We are not under bena KK awe

  12. Edited
    One issue that needs to be stopped forthwith is the parading of cadres and ministers at the airport whenever the President is travelling out and back. It does not make any sense at all. This could just be any other reason as to why some airlines as someone has pointed out changed their plans and chose not land in Zambia. There is a safety risk involved. A plane scheduled to land or take off at the same time as the Presidential scheduled will cause issues. An emergence landing request can be a risk as well. It is time the President left and came back without all that chaos caused by every cadre assembling at the airport. We are not under bane KK awe

  13. I hope they will now stop using tractors to transport passenger luggage from airplanes! TRACTORS in 2018! crazy!

  14. I’m feeling sorry for HH and his “cuundu chaitwa” followers as he will lose terribly in 2021!!!All die hard tribalists blaming PF Govnt’s projects above know too well that if ALL THESE HUGE PROJECTS are completed by 2021,their Kainde shall lose terribly!!!
    THIS IS A VERY GOOD PROJECT AND WE APPRECIATE PF’S SPLENDID WORKS!!

    • “ZANIS reports that Mr. Chitotela said with regard to the terms of the loan, the maturity period of the loan facility is 240 months or 20 years with a grace period of 84 months or 7 years while the loan is expected to be repaid within a period of 13 years.” – LT March 2018.

      Who do you think will pay for these figures to the Chinese …you think Lungu and PF will pay for them..you need to grow a brain and think passed your stupid UPND and silly HH…everyone of us will pay for this overpriced project that has even been trimmed down to steal money.

  15. It will be the most modernized, best and eye catching Airport on the African Continent, like it or leave it, its just a marvel period. Am sure Akainde is deflated and confused at the massive developmental projects taking place in Zambia and countrywide for that matter!

    • When I was at boarding school pupils from villages in Lundazi and Katete thought Luangwa bridge was the biggest and most modern bridge in Africa.

  16. English ios the only official language of Zambia. Why is Chinese written in bigger letters and on top of our official English language? Do these ministers understand the effect of subbliminal messaging? There should not be any Chinese characters used on Zambian signs because all Chinese coming to Zambia should have learned English already. We do not need to provide for uneducated Chinese who want to come to Zambia.

  17. Let’s be honest chaps we needed a new airport this project first started with MMD then was put on hold and review by our late president….. KKIA is embarrassing in its current state…. New terminal is needed and for the person who said Senegals Airport also built by Chinese is biggest between Kenya and joburg that is incorrect Addis Bole will be much busier and bigger than Nairobi….. , Tanzania, Rwanda and Ghana also have new terminals not to mention 2 new airports in Algeria and extensions to Lagos and abjua airports

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