Government has engaged China Geo Engineering Corporation to upgrade the Chambeshi Ring road in Mungwi District of Northern Province.
This came to light when Special Assistant to the President for Project Implementation and Monitoring Andrew Chellah inspected the 1-hundred and 10 kilometer road, which is in a bad state.
China Geo is expected to work on the road whose main part is in the swampy area and gets flooded during the rainy season.
And Mr. Chellah observed that the road is critical to the socio-economic development of the area owing to rice farming and cattle rearing activities.
He said his office will engage Road Development Agency -RDA- management to ensure the contractor mobilises and commences work.
Meanwhile, RDA Regional Manager Simon Chimwando revealed that the critical portion of the road covers a stretch of about 70 kilometers and requires an embankment to be done.
Mr. Chimwando explained that the road was partially graded by the Zambia National Service two years ago but the worst affected part remained unattended to.
Mr. Chellah also undertook an inspection of the Nseluka-Kayambi road which is being upgraded by China Geo Engineering Corporation.
Project Consultant Engineer Faison Mwenga informed Mr. Chellah that funding challenges have led to the project slowing down.
But Mr. Chellah assured the people of Mungwi and Northern Province at large that the on-going upgrading of gravel roads will be completed.
He also assured the contractor that government is keen to address challenges affecting the project.
Mr. Chellah said implementing agencies which include the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, Road Development Agency and the National Road Fund Agency have all been tasked to ensure the projects are expedited.
This is what has come to be defined as pf govt working & development – repairing the same roads over & over & getting commissions every time. While Zambians live in adject poverty with no jobs or prospects. And the starving masses are still expected to cheer them on & vote for them. 2021 please come quickly!!!
Guys, why are ALL road contracts given to chinese? There are(or where) many Zambian companies fully competent to do this work. Even RBs govenment used Zambian road contractors to do several road projects. A case in point is the chalala roads. And they are still intact.
The problem now is that when contracts are given to locals, they go to cadres that know ZERO about road construction and set up companies a few days before getting the contracts. This has, and continues to kill many local construction companies.
Meantime chinese firms are flourishing because they perpetrate corruption by giving kickbacks. I have never seen such an unpatriotic government. Even in Zimbabwe they give road contracts to locals, which enhences and maintains the competence of local companies. But in Zambia awe…
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Even in Zimbabwe they give road contracts to locals, which enhences and maintains the competence of local companies. But in Zambia awe sure! By the time pf are done, we will have very few construction companies or local industries. Everything will be owned by chinese.
Chief Chiti recently expressed dissatisfaction. ..hence this panicking behaviour. We don’t do unplanned projects when you have no money. Umulembwe wachipuba
What a mess, so many ministries and agencies in charge of so few roads.
There you go again, giving contracts to Chinese companies….. Zambian citizens are crying out for jobs. Even if the funding for projects like these comes from China, please have a backbone to tell your “friends” the Chinese that ALL contracts can’t go them!!
What engagement is this? Just another loan why engage a Chink state company.
I think you will find that Zambia has very few locally owned construction companies to meet all demand.
If the Chinese are available to deliver construction services at competitive prices, efficiently & on time, hiring them makes economical sense.
Sorry error;….economic…not economical!
Just hand the place to the Chinks already. Locals will benefit nil. China China all day everyday.