THE Zambian Roads & Highway Safety Group (ZRHSG) is disappointed that it takes ages for damaged roads and highways to be repaired despite them being busy tolled roads.
According to a statement released to the media by Mthoniswa Banda, the Group Admin for ZRHSG, the Group is therefore calling for urgent reforms in the manner these roads and highways are monitored, managed and repaired.
The Group has noted that despite motorists and advocacy road safety groups reporting that the stretch on the Great North Road between Chisamba and Ndola being badly damaged and ridden with dangerous ridges that make them unsafe for use as a highway and busy road, the Road Development Agency (RDA) and the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) have not moved on-site to remedy the situation.
The Group also notes that the everyday rush-hour congestion at 10 miles, caused by traffic turning into Chief Mungule’s Road or joining the Great North Road at that junction, no solution seems to be in the offing by the RDA and NRFA.
The Group also notes that several critical roads throughout the country have remained unsafe and prone to accidents without these agencies, the RDA, NRFA, moving on-site to remedy the situation.
The Zambian Roads and Highway Safety Group therefore proposes that the managing of toll fees be given to local councils who will in turn ensure that stretches of the highway passing through their jurisdiction are well maintained, and that damages on these roads are fixed within the shortest times possible.
That local roads joining the highways in small towns be restricted to designated highway junctions such as traffic circles or traffic lights, to avoid slow moving cars joining and leaving the highways and creating un necessary traffic jams.
That small towns have their own roads for their own domestic traffic and be restricted from tampering with the operations of the busy highways, including mounting roadblocks.
That local company is given contracts to remove broken-down vehicles on the highway to keep the roads safe and clear of obstacles.
Did anyone want to explain where was Lusambo who slapped Kambwili, Jeans Kapata who poured water on Kambwili, and witch doctor at State House during Kambwili’s “rejoining” the Party ya Fipuba?
F00ls always complain about everything. This is just internal squabbling which is too trivial for my president. I will not be taking this to the president. Gutter politics
Before you reform the sector, why don’t you first ask the question who is responsible for road maintenance? Why do you always look to change something when it’s not working but forget the people behind the very reason it’s not working in the first place. Maintainability is all about having the competence to do a job. Someone is responsible for maintaining these roads, if they can’t do their job then please just get rid of them! Let those who can make the difference do the work.
Of course the country’s roads are in a terrible state: all the road tolls are disappearing in the pockets of those greedy corrupt PF government cadres!
And KZ won’t be taking ANYTHING to the president. ECL didn’t fire him for nothing! And of course it didn’t go down very well at all, the reincarnation of treacherous CK back into the PF hierarchy: he was hailed as the return of the long lost son, while most people even in PF see him as a big mouthed traitor who doesn’t deserve this hilarious treatment. I see him as a liability for PF, more expectant voters will be disgusted by the arrival of CK than feeling happy, and will now go to the opposition!
Even if you reformed the money collected from these illegal toll gates will still be misappropriated and road tenders will still be awarded to PF cadres brief case companies and minister’s proxy firms….what you need is a change of leadership and mindset …how is it that under Mugufuli govt were delivered on time and within budget something unheard of in Africa.
Toll takings are never used for the intended purpose but always misapplied or misappropriated. As long as that is done the roads will never be repaired.