President Edgar Lungu has reaffirmed the government’s commitment towards improving people’s livelihoods through strategic infrastructural development.
President Lungu has said the Patriotic Front government would continue to channel efforts towards enhancing the well-being of the Zambian people through, among other ways, investment in strategic infrastructure to ensure the country was well linked internally and externally to facilitate easy movement of goods, people and services.
Speaking during the official commissioning of the Kazungula Bridge Project today, President Lungu said the transit traffic through Kazungula Border would greatly improve due to reduced border transit time and improved trade facilitation measures and border management operations.
“This is because of the inclusion of the one-stop border post which will lower the cost of doing business and result in an increase in trade and competitiveness, job creation, tourism, and other positive ripple effects. The development will also lead to the development of our local communities,” president lungu said.
The project is a masterpiece that has connected Zambia and Botswana as well as the southern African region hence the commissioning ceremony was graced by various heads of state including His Excellency Mr. Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republican of Congo and African Union Chairperson who was also the Guest of Honour, His Excellency Mr. Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of Mozambique and Southern African Development Community (SADC) Chairperson, Hs Excellency Dr.. Mokgweetsi Masisi, President of Botswana and His Excellency Dr. Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe among other dignitaries.
And the Head of State has said that in addition to national and bilateral significance, the facility would also promote regional and continental integration as it would facilitate increased intra-African trade.
He said that the development would give impetus to the implementation of the SADC-eastern African community-common market for Eastern and Southern Africa (SADC-EAC-COMESA) tripartite free trade area and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
“This facility is a critical milestone in the development of the north-south corridor as it will also facilitate access to international markets through linkages to major seaports,” President Lungu added.
And President Lungu has expressed gratitude to the African Union and SADC for their support and inclusion of the project in the SADC Regional Infrastructure Development Masterplan and the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa.
He said he was confident that the Kazungula Bridge Project would contribute positively towards the achievement of a prosperous Africa as aspired for in the African Union Agenda 2063.
“Going forward, we need to ensure that we operationalize this multi-million-dollar facility in an efficient and effective manner to ensure sustainability and the attainment of its intended objectives,” President Lungu said.
He added that the facility required continued collaboration, ownership and responsible action on the part of all the stakeholders involved including the users, border agencies, surrounding communities, facilitators, and managers of the facilities.
President lungu has since called for the establishment of the Kazungula Bridge Authority that would manage and maintain the facility on behalf of the two governments.
VERY FITTING INDEED
AND A WONDERFUL FARE WELL PRESENT TO THE PRESIDENT IN AUGUST
WHEN ZAMBIA CROSSES ITS OWN POLITICAL BRIDGE FROM POVERTY TO PROSERITY
Ok, now we are talking!
Good bye project commissioned by him and at least we shall remember him for that.
He must be not praised as though he is the one who initiated the idea of construction and he is just doing it on our behalf. This was MMD under Mwanawasa and BDP under Festus G. Mogae of Botswana initiatives.
Edgar Lungu ku wire!
PF must go!
PF must go!
What about the hearsay about Toll fees by ZRA?
Thank you Botswana for delivering the project within budget and on time!!!
A project started by MMD,
Meanwhile ka freedom sikaze is busy looking after the bosses wife while he is away……..
We know who freedom sikazwe is enterteing.
The mouse will play when the cat is away………
The trucks coming in country through the bridge must carry enough diesel in view of the shortage in Zambia. Friendly advice
I thot nomba since we not going to be using the pontoon, using the bridge will be free? So each time I pass the bridge I have to part away with $40?
Elo imagine going to the Copperbelt ,how much much it will cost using those pf cash cow toll gate .
You people this was emotional. I shed tears when this was commissioned. Mwebantu all those tears and sweat that went into this project. Daddy lungu we thank you so much father. Meanwhile hh is gnashing his teeth in jealousy. He is a angry man who ***** tag.
This bridge was built by the Koreans NOT the Chinese. Thankfully, Botswana kept PF in check and PF failed to ‘eat ‘ much’ from the bridge. Thank you Botswana for looking after Zambian tax payer’s interest and ensuring good quality contractors were engaged to build the bridge. If it was up to PF China heinan who dgace done poor quality work in zambia would have been awarded the contract.
Bravo Zambia and Botswana!
akapS – Its no surprise you chaps end up in jail ..how can you make such careless allegations without any evidence? Its campaign time be wary of misinformation.
This is a cooperation with other countries and initiated before ECL. But as usual, in his shameless populist style, he always tries to take the accolades. He practically ‘commissions’ everything in his path, including normal structures that a government is meant to build anyway – and structures at which a headteacher or assistant deputy secretary in the works and supply ministry can officiate Most of the so-called ‘commissions’ can hardly be linked to any meaningful economic activities that benefit most of the people. But we know that some of the roads and rickety structures that have been built over the years (not enough and of poor quality at the most, anyway) have been a major conduit for PF officials and cadres to siphon resources as well as milk the kickbacks.
We the elites of this great motherland will ensure that we deliver victory for you this August so you can continue with the good works.
This podium will celebrate your whipping of the u5 this August except for the weakling niggaz who see bad when something good is at play.
We know they have a mountain of grudge against you.
May the good lord keep you longer. Next is the Luapula bridge.
We the elites of this great motherland will ensure that we deliver victory for you this August so you can continue with the good works.
Hooray!!!!
This podium will celebrate your whipping of the u5 this August except for the weakling crooks who see bad when something good is at play.
We know they have a mountain of grudge against you.
May the good lord keep you longer. Next is the Luapula bridge.
WHERE THE BRIDGE LAUNCHER IS THE BRIDGE FINANCIER, BUILDER AND OWNER
Kazungula bridge over Zambezi River between Zambia and Botswana was financed ADB and JICA etc to be refunded by users through road tolls whereas Lusaka flyover bridges over no rivers, termed decongestion project, without road tolls are financed and built by India to be indirectly refunded by taxpayers.
Whereas Lusaka KKIA and Kafue gorge lower are financed and built by China whereas Lusaka’s so-called Tokyo way or Ring Road was also financed and built by JICA.
Further to above and to Zambia’s twenty per cent local contraction or counterpart funding is the launching and possession of these projects for self praise and campaigns of the launcher as its builder instead of gratitude.
Thus, as Kazungula bridge by JICA and ADB was ceremoniously launched to live online and on air (to speeches, dances, drums, songs, drinks, food) over Zambezi River as the other Lusaka bridges, the numbers and financiers ever seem to be fine print of the devil in the details that it seems its numbers, than words, that lie.
Such projects are even credited to a Party and Party manifesto.
While the numbers for the toll fees, of a bridge built from public finances, are prohibitively obscene, they were neither mentioned nor justified but sang or wished away,, as the launchers also claim to financiers, builders and owners.
By Kasebamashila Kaseba
Masterpiece Kazungula bridge is curved to avoid the borders of Zim and Namibia .It shoulda been built curved to avoid Lungu and PF.
CONGRATULATIONS GO TO BOTH PARTIES THAT PAID FOR THE BRIDGE- ZAMBIA AND BOTSWANA. THIS BRIDGE TRULY IS A MASTER-PIECE AND MUST BE REGARDED AS SUCH. WE ARE PROUD OF BOTH THE ZAMBIAN AND BOTSWANA LEADERS FOR THE GREAT MOVE AND JOB WELL DONE. MORE THANKS GO TO BOTH ZAMBIANS AND THE PEOPLE OF BOTSWANA. WE LOVE YOU ALL. YOU HAVE SHOWN OTHER AFRICAN LEADERS WHAT TEAMWORK CAN ACHIEVE.
Good bridge. Good project. Bad $40 toll charge. That’s not what is called FREE TRADE!
This bridge is a dream come true activity. Though initiated by MMD, it has been excuted by PF. Jelousy will kill us. The flyover bridges in Lusaka are working perfectly. The distance I used to take 45 minutes when taking my daughter to School has been cut to 15 minutes. I am now sparing 30 minutes for other activities. Let us be realistic and give praise where it is deserved.
The Government of Bridges and Road Commissioning , But anyway am keenly waiting to see an Indian or Chinese chimp collecting that mentioned $40 toll gate fee. Infact those people who are in China now and Korea. Check for us Chinese Gvmnt has not advised these jobs at their bridge ,which they built with their own money, anyway.
Tamwakapite pa Bridge apo especially if china man will be the one collecting levies, you will still find yourself using the cheaper pantoon intsd.
If you check the fine print the Japanese paid for the bridge, Botswana and Zambia paid for the immigration and customs buildings on either side and was built by Koreans, now it costs 1000 kwacha return to cross for a car how much for a truck? bit expensive to go to Kasane for the day, or for Botswana tour operators to bring tourists to Vic Falls, they will continue to use the Zimbabwe road and see the falls from the Zim , big lost of income for Livingstone and Zambia. Now for a SADC car to entry to Zambia after , bridge toll, insurance, TIP and council tax it will cost 2,000 Kwacha to visit Livingstone and the falls but less than a !000 kw to go via Zimbabwe side. Toll should be 40 Kwacha not dollars. Trucks should pay high fee not cars as trucks damage the roads and are in transit to DRC.
kazungula Bridge is a road and rail bridge over the Zambezi river between the countries of Zambia and Botswana at Kazungula. The bridge was opened for traffic on 10 May 2021. In August 2007 the governments of Zambia and Botswana announced a deal to construct a bridge to replace the existing ferry.