Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Lufune bridge on Great North Road collapses

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The Collapsed Lufune bridge on Great North Road
The Collapsed Lufune bridge on Great North Road

Hundreds of trucks and other vehicles are marooned following the collapse of Lufune Bridge at Danger Hill along the Great North Road in Mpika Town of Muchinga Province .

ZANIS reports that Muchinga Province Minister Malozo Sichone and Mpika District Commissioner Moses Katebe have confirmed the development in separate interviews this evening.

Mr. Sichone says the bridge at Lufune gave in this afternoon as a result of heavy rains being experienced in the area.

He said while the province has been receiving heavy rains since October last year, the collapsing of Lufune Bridge is very unfortunate as the Great North Road is like an artery vein supplying blood to the economy of Zambia.

The Provincial Minister says government has since moved in to mobilize a team of engineers who will soon be moving on site.

He has also advised trucks and fuel tankers to use the Nakonde /Mbala via Kasama/Mpika Road in the meantime.

And Mpika DC Katebe said in a separate interview that the bridge collapsed around 14 :00 hours today adding that said he received report last week from a Village Headman that the bridge was at the verge of collapsing.

Mr. Katebe added that the Road Development Agency (RDA) was informed last week that the bridge is at the verge of collapsing and no action was taken.

He said it’s sad that the road has been cut off and only small cars can pass at the moment using a by-pass.

The District Commissioner said an alternative route will be improvised tomorrow to allow the flow of traffic.

He has since urged motorists travelling between Mpika and Nakonde going to Tanzania to use an alternative routes.

66 COMMENTS

    • Tomorrow that lazy fooooool in State House will send Freedom Sikazwe and a team of 10 staff to fly to Muchinga to go and inspect

    • You people in the USA, are there any second hand bridges and roads there please, so that we can send Esther back to come and beg. These chitotela bridges and roads are clearly not working

    • What is subottage about? Who is setting dynamits to bridges? Chitotela need to go to bottom of these. Grom Fire outbreaks on markets, now to bridged?
      IDYOTS!

    • Am not an engineer but that picture of the collapsed bridge is very disturbing. I don’t see any structures anchoring the bridge just soil.
      Chitotela needs to explain this shoddy work. If this bridge was worked on a year ago, then the contractor needs to fix it for free otherwise the govt should demand a refund. Heavy rains or not, the bridge should still be standing.

    • Disclose the name of the contractor, year it was built, refurbished and amount spent for the public to know if it is as a result of natural calamity or shoddy job by government officials and politicians (contractor will do what he is paid and corruptly taken from him. No blame to contractor, all blame lies with politicians and civil servants who are answerable to the voters. No hiding behind contractor and God)

    • This time to summon Zambian engineers.We may have a solution for this in the backyard. Copperbelt University graduates dozens of civil engineers.They graduate with projects. Folks give them a real life scenario not copycat projects they present at school. Then we will say, it is Zambian graduates who constructed that bridge. Don’t worry about funding, I understand RDA rakes alot of free cash from fyatile toll plazas. Stop whining and get to work. It not a FBD.

    • as usual docility by our institutions pa Zambia. But we are very talkative against the Chinese nationals who are performers and hard workers. Very shameful..!

    • PLEASE LET US STOP CALLING THESE WATER PASSES BRIDGES PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE…..Totally misleading I have driven on this road many times there is nothing to call a bridge between kapiri and Nakonde not sure if those overhead rail tracks count. I can only thank God this has happened I have been crying for this road to be worked on and not to prioritize these inner City road which are just meant for votes

  1. The Government of Zambia (GRZ) through the Roads Development Agency (RDA) is seeking funding
    from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to finance the rehabilitation of the T2 road from Chinsali
    to Nakonde (208.6Km) road section which is part the 611.5 km Serenje–Nakonde road proposed for full
    reconstruction. The project is to be implemented by the Road Development Agency (RDA). The
    rehabilitation of the Serenje-Nakonde section of the T2 North – South trunk road has been identified
    through the North-South Corridor network planning project prioritization process as a key project
    requiring immediate rehabilitation.

    • Before that crook Chitotela and Lazy Lungu sends his Grade 2 adviser Freedom Sikazwe and say that its UNIP…PF got a loan for this road from African Development Bank for a full rehabiliation of this road…meaning bridges involved.

    • @Jayjay, what’s your point?
      Maybe you are agreeing will me that this bridge catastrophic events are a money-laundering scheme?
      Look he, any tools they are using to take down bridges are swept away by water.
      However, if they are serious, they will catch who is causing these calamities.
      We never ever seen so many bridges collapsing like cholera outbreaks.

  2. When I tell people that these are WASTED LUNGU YEARS …WE WILL HAVE TO PAY AT A GREAT COST …these are all loans we have not even started repaying and things are falling apart..it doesn’t take an expert to tell you that the works are all shambolic from the same rolled steel casings used in all these bridges as the photo shows.

    • Works have not yet commenced for the loan the just got …they have awarded the contracts to two Chinese companies one to work on Chinsali Isoka and the other Isoka Nakonde ….so this stretch is not even part of this loan if I recall well. My issue has been prioritization of Urban roads to such roads of economic importance. The focus was on just pleasing Urban voters instead of doing what was right then. This road is very old

  3. Bridges can run across anywhere be it between hills or whatever but why is it the rain being blamed for every bridge. a bridge is built to wjthstand weight never mind water but this is the poorest excuse we are hearing now, Who built that poor quality bridge, people must be held accountable for these shoddy jobs, it is too much now.

  4. Is it possible that maybe there is a conspiracy of some sort? It can’t all be coincidences and accidents, come people something fishy is going on here. This is a pure case of corporate vandalism/sabotage by obliviously very greedy individuals who intend to highly profit from these acts.These are the 42 x 42 individuals, they know tenders will be floated to construct bridges.
    A lot of PEPs now know profiteering from sabotage is the only way to fool the nation. Create a problem and provide a solution. I can bet they are raising campaign funds.

  5. AG REPORT on General Road Projects under RDA the for the Period January 2012 to December 2015
    Periodic Maintenance of 131 km of the Mpika to Chambeshi Bridge – Lot 1
    On 21st March 2014, RDA engaged Dawiq Limited in joint venture with Keren Motors
    Limited for the periodic maintenance of 131 km of the Mpika to Chambeshi Bridge – Lot
    1 at a contract sum of K118,299,975 VAT inclusive with a completion period of twelve
    (12) months, and a commencement date of 15th April 2014. The completion date was
    extended to 14th April 2016.
    The scope of works included; pothole patching, construction of shoulders, reconstruction
    of selected sections, repair/replacement of drainage structures, road furniture.
    As of December 2016, the contractor had been paid amounts totalling K14,363,146.
    The…

    • The following were observed:
      Lack of Detailed Engineering Drawings
      Failure to Pay Advance Payment on Time
      Delayed Commencement of Works

      Please do not be cheated that there is no budget allocated for Road maintenance …money is there according to this report jobs are not done and there is no inspection.

      ago.gov.zm/reports/Special/RDAFinalReportfortheYears20122015.pdf

    • Jj. If contractor doesn’t understand detail or questions engineeing details he notifies contractor

      Before contractor is paid , consultant inspects and certifies.

      So it goes back to engineer who gets lots of money for the work as consultant

    • But when you look at the observations of AG’s Report there were zero Engineering Drawing Details ..this is the same with all contracts in this report. Without drawings sub-contractor can simply send women to go and sweep the place with branches and its job done

  6. Is it possible that maybe there is a conspiracy of some sort? It can’t all be coincidences and accidents, come on people something fishy is going on here. This is a pure case of corporate vandalism/sabotage by obliviously very greedy individuals who intend to highly profit from these acts.These are the 42 x 42 individuals, they know tenders will be floated to construct bridges. A lot of PEPs now know that profiteering from sabotage is the only way to fool the nation. Create a problem and provide a solution.

  7. Is it possible that maybe there is a conspiracy of some sort? It can’t all be coincidences and accidents, come people something fishy is going on here. This is SMELLS of corporate vandalism/sabotage by obliviously very greedy individuals who intend to highly profit from these acts. A lot of PEPs now know profiteering from sabotage is the only way to fool the nation. Create a problem and provide a solution. I can bet they are raising campaign funds.

  8. It can’t all be coincidences and accidents, come people something fishy is going on here. I THINK it’s sabotage by obliviously very greedy individuals who intend to highly profit from these acts. Some individuals know tenders will be floated to construct bridges, so they maybe colluding into damaging this infrastructure.

    • What do you think “repair/replacement of drainage structures” is then? most of these structures are drainage not bridges for seasonal streams which only require adequate structures to withstand the rains… they are embarrassing these corrupt foooools who have got very rich out of this and have the audacity to remove student meal allowances.

  9. Lungu’s roads and bridges are collapsing because they’re built using cheap contractors awarded the job on condition of a kickback.

  10. This has nothin to do with rain or workmanship or chitotela

    Its a design failure. All the blame must be directed at Rda engineers who designed and supervised.

  11. This has everything to do with greedy incompetent contractors who were given these contracts because of kickbacks. The know Lazy lungu will just be happy to know a road is constructed somewhere and never checks on the quality of work done. I hope these contractors are not doing ubomba mwibala by doing everything cheap so they have more money in their pockets

  12. Trib.al Jay Gay seems to know something, just look at his prolific comments on the subject, very uncharacteristic even for this trib.al.

  13. These are old bridges built decades ago. Their time is up.

    Those collapsing are being replaced to serve some more decades. Just a natural cycle.

    What’s the purpose of these Chitotela and Chinese contracts rants. Imbeciles.

    • @ Mbeba na koswe so we should wait for Luangwa, Tuta , Chambishi Lusemfwa to collapse first since it will be just a ‘natural cycle?’ Really?

  14. Bridges are erected in Seas with all the substructure immersed in salty waters, but how come they dont collapse.Here in Zambia even showers are capable of eroding a bridge, so sad indeed.

  15. As a Zambian I am just sad at the collapsed bridge. It impacts economic development for the area. Where I live they build very strong durable bridges even on small streams. I hope the area MP will get resources and government support to make a worthwhile bridge.
    This is happening in many areas around the country. I know of a high priority road from Namwala road to Macha Mission Hospital which needs a bridge at Muyobe (Magwenauka) turnoff. The road serves a large population to take people to the hospital and to ferry agricultural produce from far places like Chikanta. This bridge needs attention.

    All the best.

  16. Imbuto balilya ba kapala! This is unprecedented. It’s almost as if the rains are a terrorist group! It is so bad blame is being placed on a government that ruled for 27 years.

  17. Now this does not look like a bridge or even what used to be a bridge on an important road. What is the matter with RDA and the suspect honourable?

    On the other hand, it could also mean poor road and drainage maintenance, if you block water it will still find its way to its destination, even by cutting across the road a weak section is preferred.
    Again it points to RDA and suspect honourable. They are busy building personal infrastructure.

  18. ..let’s not be misled into empty debates by an ignorant media, let’s leave trib.al debates where they belong, upnd. There is no collapsed bridge at that point in the road, and there never was a bridge, maybe a culvert. The problem is that RDA and suspect honourable did not pay attention to draining off small streams, they only think of large bridges for the chinks to build…..for obvious reasons as you know……no prize for knowing the answer.

  19. They wait for calamity to strike and then call for emergency funds so that they can loot. RDA with offices at state house was informed in time but decided to ignore, then we will hear that Lungu has sent Freedom Sikazwe and Kaizer Zulu and Amos to go and asses the damage so that they come up with cuts. Chitotela can you bring back the money that you have stolen you mappet? See what you and your thieving friends have done to this country? What did we do to deserve this kind of mediocrity kanshi?

    • Jj. That report is flawed.

      Contract is offered based of the bill of quantities

      The bill of quantities describes scope of work in detail including materials involved

      In addition they give you the drawings or design so that you can quote.

      You can’t give a contract without detailed drawing

  20. This is all because of PFoools corruption, these id!ots are useless, instead of bringing in contractors who know what they are doing they go and choose useless AVIC for all contracts and half the money is pocketed Kaponya style, what a crisis, then you have there stup!d cadres who are also dull like their leadership trying to justify all these failures

  21. One would deduce from the picture shown above that RPW standard in bridge design is ignored by RDA who is mandated to monitor and approve road designs before actual construction can be executed.
    This is clearly an indication that our people who are tasked to ensure quality roads are built are letting the nation down. Sure even the laymen are able to tell that the continuous collapsing of bridges is due to poor workmanship, starting from project stage, design and construction stage, surely can one expect gravel to with stage pressure from the river water? That’s why the week gravel embankment fails to withstand the pressure from water and end up getting eroded as is the case in the bridge reported above.
    Another aspect is that of the size of curvets used, the diameter should be in line…

  22. Useless ……look at the rats looking for blame …….lungus GRZ is to blame for this shoddy work….corruption lead the design, the procurement, the work , corruption was boss.

  23. In a normal country the RDA engineers who inspected and certified each collapsed bridge and road would get fired and even jailed for accepting bribes to certify dangerous work…even the head of RDA would get it….

    but that can not happen because the corruption trail goes all the way to lungu

  24. Since when did the Lufune River Cross the Mpika to Chambeshi Stretch?
    Typical of people trying to alarm the nation about plunder without even checking if the AG report referred to the stretch in question.
    Let us for once try to talk only about stuff we know.

  25. There is a culture of sharing the loot that has grown exponentially since the PF govt. came into power. It’s not only from the roads. The fact is that contracts have been awarded to friends, connections, family, politicians companies etc; The common denominotor being most of these have not been anywhere near being competent to do the work. Contract figures have been inflated to make sharing easier. Some of taken the money and not even done any work. The system, if any, is such that no one really follows up or is bothered. Sometimes even more funds have been forwarded to failed contractors ‘to finish the work’. Why do you think a number people (with PF connections) ‘running’ these shoddy firms have become stinking rich overnight?

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