Thursday, March 28, 2024

Progress at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Pictures

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61 COMMENTS

  1. At what cost to the Zambia people?
    Retirees have not been paid
    Public worker salaries always in arrears
    40% of government expenditures goes loan repayments

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  2. This is fantastic. I mean how can anyone surely have anything negative to say about this amazing example of infrastructure development under the pf. This is a result of the hard work of this government.Some of you complain and criticize the government from Monday to Friday without fail like it is a full time job. Its Saturday. for a change let us discuss something positive. I will start. My self my weekend has already started. I was sipping on Hennessy yesterday. For today have a bottle of a 20 year old whiskey specially bought from Japan. What is everyone doing? Happy weekend. With love. Kz

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  3. @Nostradamus, how did the so called “original plan” look like? Are you the only one seeing doubles? Because they look the same to me. And how is this a screw up and a worst of money? Come on guys, some of this baseless negativity is just pathetic!

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  4. @Kalok, you and @GUNDIXY need prescription glasses. You tell me you can’t see the ‘Jetways’ a.k.a ‘Areobridges’ in front of that Terminal building in the pictures? Look closely, those blue looking tubes are Jetways to walk through when boarding or deplaning. I can count six of them. Lord, lord, lord, is this how petty we have become as Zambians?!

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  5. Give praise where due, don’t condemn even a progressive projects like this one.We are in modern days please don’t remain behind.

  6. @Independent, and how did you hope to grow the economy so that eventually the backlog of retirees can get paid without tackling the infrastructure deficit in the country? It seems even the fiasco (deficient electricity generating capacity) going on at ZESCO has not taught you anything. For years that sector was neglected and not invested in. And now you can see the price the country is paying for being so shortsighted like you are. Other countries in the neighborhood are busy investing and developing their aviation/tourism sector, but here you are suggesting that our Govt should sit back until retirees get their dues. Really?

    By the way, are you proposing that the Govt should get a loan from China to pay off retirees? Because these infrastructure you are seeing around are being built…

  7. @Independent Continue….

    and financed with loan money. Is that your suggestion?

    I mean, you don’t have to be an Economist to understand some of these issues. They are NOT that complicated!

    • @Yambayamba, I am sure you know that the load-shedding we continue to suffer in Zambia is a result of an entirely PF and Michael Sata blunder. Rupiah Banda commissioned construction of the K2bn Kafue Gorge Lower power station on 21st July 2011 and it would have been completed by 2015. We would never have experienced this much black outs if it was not for the foolishness of Michael Sata who then cancelled the project when he won elections in 2011. It took another five years before Lungu commissioned construction of the same project on 29th NOVEMBER 2015 with the same contractor and the same amount -K2bn, and same site. Sir /Madam you sound like an intelligent person. Please do not make excuses for incompetents who have changed Zambia’s growth trajectory from one of the fastest growing…

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    • @Yambayamba …..economies on the continent at 7% GDP growth in 2011 to one of the worst at a miserable 2% growth in 2019.

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  8. Fantastic but we will pay through our
    grand grand children.We will leave a
    debt for our grand children to pay.Was
    it a priority?

  9. These airport projects both at Lusaka and Ndola are white elephants. International air traffic is not determined by fancy airports but by economic activity of a given country or region. We are putting the cart before the horse. No international traveler will book a flight just to come and see the new airports in Lusaka and Ndola. International travelers will come to for tourism and business opportunities that are protected by the rule of law. Tourists and investors are not stupid. They will not explore business opportunities where indisciplined cadres reign supreme & brutalise their own citizens

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  10. Zambians, it’s normal to say no to everything at your age. It’s a developmental stage. You will snap out of it by the time you have reached the mental age of 3 years!!!.

  11. Only a guy born blind cannot tell the difference between a Zambia prior to 2011 and a Zambia today. Where was Chiluba or Mwanawasa?

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  12. What sheer waste of money, this end product is not even worth half what it was originally estimated as they have reduced the Bills of Quantities. They have creamed off the excess routed the funds to PF coffers and their pockets. This thing here shouldn’t be costing $100 million.

  13. Ignore this chap called Yambayamba he wants to come across as some neutral blogger but alias he is a through PF bootlicker these are the chaps who couldn’t stand Sata but as soon as he passed and Lungu embraced RB and his MMD crooks PF was suddenly the “it” party.

  14. @Yambayamba. These UPND chaps will never appreciate anything good done by PF or anybody else unless it’s done by their little god HH. They are happy with the substandard international airport we have at the moment. What is even more puzzling is that there are bus and train stations that are far better than the current KKIA where some of these live. I bet you if these chaps had their way we would be using ox carts and sandy bush paths.

    Now they have turned everything into paying retirees. Really pathetic! Some of these retirees have not been paid for over 23 years, and yes they deserve their dues, but why lump it all on PF? We’ve heard some former Finance Ministers and Bank governors brag that when their party was in power the treasury had $$$ billions in surplus, why then did they…

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  15. These airport projects both at Lusaka and Ndola are white elephants. International air traffic is not determined by fancy airports but by economic activity of a given country or region. We are putting the cart before the horse. No international traveler will book a flight just to come and see the new airports in Lusaka and Ndola. International travelers will come to for tourism and business opportunities that are protected by the rule of law. Tourists and investors are not stupid. They will not explore business opportunities where indisciplined cadres reign supreme & brutalise their own citizens. It would have been better to invest mass transportation systems for Lusaka, Ndola and Kitwe to ease the congestion and chaos of minibuses. Abuja, Addis and Dar es salaam are miles ahead on this…

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  16. Luapula Premier – Mwanawasa is the reason Zambia had an excellent credit rating for you to obtain loans and Mwanawasa was so prudent with funds he wouldn’t allow such an overpriced structure to go ahead. You do realize that this part of £10 billion you have acquired from the Chinks which you havent paid back.

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  17. Yambayamba – Compare this joke of a design and the MMD design under RB. When you compare this “Eagle” with the old terminal, of course it looks wonderful – but the Turkish design was futuristic and really beautiful — at lower cost. It was cancelled by Mr. Sata (because everything RB was corrupt according to him) but restarted with a poor design at inflated cost. Right now there is nothing going on because money has run out.

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  18. IllSayWhatIWant – Go travel around the world and show me a $400 million International airport and I will point to you the difference

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  19. adviser – The only problem with the Turks construction contract was that they wanted Turkish Airlines to have monopoly over other airlines meaning we were all going to be connected to Ankara for the cheapest flight to Lusaka. We Zambians are a docile people even something as basic as a tollgate that should not cost more than $500,000 they will clap because its new and has ICT, this where the corrupt ministers like Chitotela slap on a valuation of $4.5 million. Even this airport he is on record for stating that he altered the Bills of Quantity; for those who dont know what it is – its a document used in tendering in the construction industry in which materials, parts, and labor are itemized. In layman’s terms if you go to the bank or financier stating that you want to build a 5 bed…

  20. @Tarino Orange. I can assure you am more traveled than you will ever be. Do you understand that the specs for the new KKIA go beyond what you are seeing in those pics? Don’t be daft!!! Useless UPND cadre…open your mind!!!

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  21. a 5 bed mansion and have itemised the works for $5million when the money is received you change the Bill of Quantity to a three bed mansion so you can use the rest of the monies for something else or pocket the money for a new Range Rover .

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  22. IllSayWhatIWant – I understand there will be a shopping Mall and a Hotel, still that’s not worth more than $80million, if you were smarter you can ask investors to build their hotel themselves but PF as usual like they did with Ndola – Lusaka used the same excuse to justify $1.2 billion inflated valuation…dont be surprised if its turned into a toll gate for you to pay for the loan and then tax you again for road tax.
    FYI I look at building projects everyday I can tell you that the structure in the photo is not worth $400 million unless you are going to add a Metro line from Airport straight through Meanwood, NRDC, UNZA to Manda Hill straight to CBD. To hell with your UPND did you register me there…you are the same morons that laughed at us when we told you to forget about the…

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  23. Luapula Premier – Do you understand what credit rating is? How old are you? Do you want me to lecture you the difference between assets and liabilities before I start talking about credit rating instead of hanging out with dull South Africans I urge to read financial books to open your head.

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  24. Plus I am counting 6 gates in the picture …its laughable that someone with full facilities can state here that it is worth $400 million..go to Jomo Kenyatta Airport it has two terminals, Terminal 1 is arranged in a semi-circular orientation and is divided into four parts: 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1E are used for international arrivals and departures while terminal 1D is used for domestic departures and arrivals. It can allow large aircraft the size of A380s to land and depart at the same time looking at that picture and runway that is impossible.
    Like I said go out more then come and talk to me about airports

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  25. This cheap airport is not even amongst the top 10 International airports in Africa, There will be no hand soaps or toilet papers in the washrooms no airconditioning but hungry corrupt airport workers who beg change from travellers as usual

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  26. All that large roof square area not even one flexible solar panel installed…..but they are the first ones to read speeches about combating climate change.

  27. KK international will be fantanstic, it’s a shame these photos does not do it justice. Please take your time and make sure this becomes the envy of many visitors. I have taken a tour of the airport and urge those gloom and doom people to start thinking of how they can capitalise on contracts to service this thing. KK international will be a mini self-contained city with all sorts of amenities and opportunities for the local community. I can’t wait to see this Airport up and running.

  28. The new airport structures are not impressive and this infrastructure does not commensurate the original plan before PF came into power. Zambia once more has been ripped off by government officials and their relative who came up with a plan to defraud Zambia. Late president Sata and Alexander Chikwanda with their relatives (engineers) agitated the cancellation of the original plan muted by MMD government. Without going into details these unpatriotic Zambians urged Sata to cancel the plan alleging that the original plan of KKIA new infrastructure to be built by the Turkish was tainted with corruption. They re negotiated deal was even at a higher cost and reduced the infrastructure designed, rendering it low in cost but pocked the difference. Hence that poor looking infrastructure of KKIA…

  29. In comparison doesn’t come close to Ethiopian International air port not even Kigali International airport a very tiny country. Its a shame that these crooks (with proper audit trail culprits are traceable) with insatiable appetite to steal and defraud Zambians are basking freely exhibiting ill gotten wealth while Zambian poorly constructed airport will shame us for along time.

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  30. MunaDekhane – Some dull simpleton Zambians dont care even if that structure costs $1 billion as to them anything new with a roof and windows is excellent design forgetting that they are not being paid on time and services not being delivered because the PF govt is using half the budget towards debt servicing. This structure is a typical example of an overpriced structure and please dont compare Addis Ababa Bole International Airport which has 2 terminals.

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  31. All the people singing praises here go to Botswana Gaborone and see airport built on one twentieth of what you are paying in dollar terms then you will realise how bad corruption can be. Read what Mangufuli did regarding the contracts for ports in Bagamoyo and Dar es Salaam. When people can not bring servants to account there is a problem. That is the disease in Zambia

  32. Kenneth Kaunda ignorance.That monument(airport)is a conduit for the Yankee dollar.I do not want any cock and bull story.Peter Carlos Hinds.

  33. Tarino don’t bother explaining yourself to these dull P.F Cadres.
    Any human who understands basic architecture /engineering design, including “Stevie Wonder” can tell, this airport in the photos IS NOT the same as the original drawings, on which the funding was based on!
    These P.F mambala’z just like tollgate scam, got funding from the treasury using the original architectural drawings we’ve seen, in came P.F G0onz, + children of politically exposed beings, i.e an ex finance minister’s, tore up the original drawings, got cheaper drawings, which they used to build this Pancake, creamed off the surplus & deposited in offshore accounts. Compare Senegal’s new Airport,cost & quality, to this Pancake.
    TODAY MYOPIC, NON ANALYTICAL ZAMBIAN’S ARE CLAPPING, MOUTHS WIDE OPEN, as if…

  34. cont;
    ARE CLAPPING, MOUTHS WIDE OPEN, as if nothing is wrong.
    The majority of these Zed folk are SO DULL + easily manipulated, hence they cannot even work out a simple puzzle, i.e, when one persistent annoying “Lusaka Times resident Bot” impersonates other bloggers /people, pretending to be who he obviously is Not, by cloning identities, but they fail to analyse or work out simple patterns of evidence /behaviour. KAYA??

  35. Too many stories about the new international airport. At one time the full design cost about $700 million next someone removed half of the design to now cost $350 million without following the Law & International best practice.

    Even if the Chinese are financing, public tenders require an element of transparency which has been missing here. I doubt whether this tender was advertised and if it was my sincere apology. Why advertise? It’s the only way Govt can get the true market price.

    When reducing the scope of works & BOQs by 50%, which is more than allowable 25% without open tender, again no advert.

    Zambians are in a limbo! What is going on? Such huge amounts just being manipulated on a table. Where are our Engineers?

    There is reason enough to conclude that the airport saga…

  36. @Overpriced airport tender – Exactly these Dunderheads dont even know what BOQ is, someone has stolen money which their children will pay back and they are clapping like morons…this project was supposed to be completed in 2019 but its behind schedule even where money is available and the dumb ones are clapping.

  37. cant understand why we have never built our own roads, bridges, dams or airports in this country are we that stupid and all the money leaves the country. wake up Zambia.
    this airport is very basic compared to the rest of the world and the amount paid for just 6 gates

  38. I actually like to walk off the plane and then onto the Zambian soil (tarmac), after a couple of long flights from “Babylon” via many airports, when I get home I want to feel that fresh air and see my country folks,
    walking from the plane onto the tarmac is so home coming for me,

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  39. Just a question to LT. Is the new airport placed somewhere else or is it the same area as the old one? Where do you land when you travel to Lusaka, Zambia as at now? is it at the old airport? I suppose the old Lusaka International Airport is functional so as not to stop the flow of business and passenger travel.

  40. Even in Europe at times you are driven by a bus to the plane or even walk. Seen it a lot of times at airports Nothing wrong in people walking to the planes. Important thing is that they travel and arrive safely

  41. From the laptop I can see the pics more clearly, IT LOOKS TOO BASIC and AWAY FROM THE FUTURE!! On the last picture, there are even warehouse doors resembling Kamwala shops and in the background there are chairs! What type of rooms are those, shops or….?? FLASHING PICTURES ONLY WITHOUT EXPLAINING ANYTHING IS CROOKEDNESS TOO!!

  42. Comment: Wonderful airport. The old one was just really outdated. It will bring more business to Zambia. I can only say, its a great project which will move Zambia forward. Sipping my red label whisky this weekend…kikiki

  43. are people blind they are 6 gates so you don`t need to take a bus unless that gate is busy or the aircraft is not able to dock at a airbridge as its too low like a Embraer E-jet like the ones used by SA-Airlink etc. at that time you would use a bus. like any other airport in the world.

    last thing this uprgade includes VIP Terminal, New Firestation New control tower, extension of runway, New offices and new mall(location is dreadful thou), New Hotel, New Cargo handling facilites as well as support services and roads. Now i`m also suspicous as way this project has taken so long but i can understand the budget has gone to pay for alot of things.

  44. Those complaining just don’t fly as often to understand how frustrating the old airport is. And a huge embarrasment to our country when bringin family and business contacts home. This is a welcome development. too many PHDs here! MULENASHAKO

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