Vice President Inonge Wina has described the newly commissioned Intercity Bus Terminal and the Ultra-Modern Market in Livingstone as state of the art structures built of international standards.
Mrs Wina said the structures are the first of their kind in the country with enough capacity to load at least thirty buses at any loading time.
Speaking when she officiated at the Commissioning ceremony held at the Intercity Bus Terminal in Livingstone, the Vice President stated that the two structures will develop not only Livingstone town but the region as a whole.
Mrs Wina added that the two projects will run parallel services to the people while at the same time add to the beauty of the city, making an outstanding place anchored on peace, suitable for conducting business and leisure.
She also cited the recently commissioned Kazungula Bridge as an additional project that will integrate services in the country.
“For the past ten years, our commitment as a party in government has been to change the face of Zambia’s infrastructure and better the lives of the Zambians,” she said.
The Vice President explained that government will continue growing the economy through infrastructure projects and improve services across the country.
She further explained that the two commissioned infrastructure are exactly what both the local and international tourists expect in a tourist capital like Livingstone.
Mrs Wina commended the National Pension Scheme Authority and the Zambia National Service Command for the diligence and commitment rendered towards the completion of the two projects.
She said commissioning of such projects is commended because of the immense benefits to the people of Zambia.
She reminded the local authorities and the users that the two projects need to be maintained in order to continue providing quality services to the people, especially now during the COVID-19 error.
The Vice President noted that NAPSA, the operator of the Intercity Bus Terminals has already planned for the electronic payments and online services in line with the smart Zambia initiative.
Mrs Wina noted that the use of the two projects must benefit all Zambians without any discrimination because the patriotic front party was voted into government to benefit every Zambian.
She appealed to the general public to uphold peace, love and unity regardless of their religious or political affiliations during elections and beyond.
And speaking at the same event, Local government Permanent Secretary Mathew Ngulube said the two commissioned structures are evidence of how much can be achieved when there is cooperation and perseverance.
Mr Ngulube said the construction journey of the two projects has been an exciting one characterized by many hurdles that sometimes seemed insurmountable.
The PS stated that government’s perseverance, the commitment from their partners and stakeholders and the patience of the Livingstone people is what made the projects succeed.
He explained that the Ultra-Modern Market has been completed at a total cost of over k55, million
“The market has 422 free open stands for marketeers and 102 shops. As your honor may have noticed, the city market is a modern facility with administrative facilities and adequate amenities which include parking, modern ablutions and a management wing,” he explained.
Mr Ngulube added that the Intercity Bus Terminals has been equipped with a modern electronic ticketing system that promotes cashless transactions as well as the information screens indicating the boarding and departure status of buses.
And National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) Board Chairperson Evans Chibiliti said the Authority’s decision to invest in the two projects was informed by its mandate to invest scheme membership contributions into economically viable projects for the benefit of the members.
Mr Chibiliti stated that the two projects have been concessional to the authority for a period of up to 14 years in order for it to recoup its investment to the tune of K42 Million.
“What we are witnessing today here in Livingston will set the standards for the rest of the country of how the country will empower the marketeers and bus operators with the new generation and market systems,” he further stated.
He said in-line with the government’s all-inclusive development agenda the authority remains committed to delivering on its mandate to extend coverage to the formal sector.
He added that the Authority also has an agenda to supplement government’s efforts to alleviate poverty in the country.
Meanwhile, Southern Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Kennedy Mubanga thanked government and its partners for both facilities which are expected to bring development to Livingstone and the entire Southern Province.
Intercity Bus Station has a negative connotation to it, we await cadres to flood this place.
IT WILL CERTAINLY HELP BUT DEFINITELY WONT BENIFIT PF IN THE VOTE
LIVINSTONEV IS ALREADY OPPOSITION
FORWARD ZAMBIA
12-8 = 4 minds already made up sorry!
I nearly fell off my chair! PF had a policy of not spending public funds in areas they lost elections. So NAPSA made this investment- well done.
Please, make sure that only travellers go to the bus stop to board buses! This idea of turning the place into trading facility is ridiculous and causes problems!
The living fossil is on the move, lady take it easy before u collapse with your old age, u belong in a museum with the other ugliest woman in the world aka, faurgly….
PF is ZAMBIA reason the deeds are everywhere. Go and ask the Dudumwezi’s they’re all enjoying development. But we know they will vote on their usual. That’s not a problem we PATRIOTS and we know no segregation. WE love you All.
ALEBWEKELAPO.
Why didnt Kasama get one like this too??? They had to settle for a shed.
Very soon this shameless hen Bo Kuku will be put to pasture only a few days to go….they say we get wiser as we grow older its not the case for this woman. This is a risky investment for NAPSA especially if this bus station is flooded with PF cadres …they will get zero revenue and without electricity this so called ultra modern bus station will be reduced to nothing.
Yes leave your names on those infrastructure, HH will build his own starting next week.
Nice work, should have been a combined bus and train station. About time we brought our railways to the 21st century.
This is their campaign ‘strategy’. Commissioning structures in the days before the election to hoodwink people. These are ordinarily what are supposed to be there anyway. The biggest question is where is the real human development progress that will uplift the standards of living of the many? A few jobs here and there and potential white elephant airports won’t do. Service provision is also affected by the fact that a lot has been borrowed for these structures and revenue will still be diverted to repayments. If the govt. had used the local reserve resources they found, including to build value manufacturing industries to provide more jobs, hence improve peoples buying power and more govt. revenue, it would have made sense.
This project started 12 years ago….finished in the year of elections…. I hope Zambian wont get fooled by this.
This project started 12 years ago….finished in the year of elections…. I hope Zambian wont get f***led by this
I am Livingstone native but 300 bus capacity is a bit too much. Livingstone only gets about 10 buses from Lusaka everyday and 1 from Sesheke and once or twice a week, a bus from South Africa. In other words, we are no where close to Lusaka with buses from all corners of the country and region.
To the well informed; this bus station was started in 2011 and it was supposed to be completed in 2012 in readiness for UNWTO conference. This tender was in part with the market in the CBD which was also not completed. This bus terminus was completed in 2020 after 9 years but we knew won’t be opened till a few days to the elections so they can claim did something
All we needed was just a shade like Kasama.
Beautiful Livingstone needs such development…we need to attract local tourists and this bus station on point for such ventures…good Job PF….VOTE FOR EDWARD CHAGWA LUNGU
Development everywhere.Even if it’s opposition stronghold but we are deliveing.Come 12th alebwelelapo
Our mother has taken us this far, we appreciate. Vote ECL for better today and tomorrow.
Tourist don’t come by bus they come by car and plane anyone who can’t afford the cost of driving or plane ticket cant afford the accommodation in Livingstone also as said above both the bus and market terminals were to be finished in 2012 but corruption was involved and funds were stolen and that is why it took 9 more yrs to finish.
A good workmanship I hope the place will be not be influxed by the cadres and street vendors. You need strong an corrupt administration.
ONLY PASSENGERS AND BUS STAFF TO REACH THE BUS AFTER A CERTAIN POINT. THIS IS EXCELLENT.
Just give credit where it’s due….just criticizing everything…let’s get rid of am PF …am UPND syndrome….we all Zambians after August 12th…life should get back to normal…no unnecessary court challenges…let’s all accept the results and move on…MAY THE BEST CANDIDATE WIN
Last thing to be commissioned by this old hen. Thank God we shall see the back of her come Thursday next week regardless of who wins.
How much was the bus station? Since you told us that the corrugated roofs on poles in Kasama cost K10 million
At long last! It is actually a NAPSA project and they will operate both of them until they recover the investment plus profit. This what your pension money is doing. So let’s save more and fund more economic activities. Salute to the vision of NAPSA!