Kitwe City Council has requested the Road Development Agency(RDA) to give due attention to the condition of roads in Kitwe, Copperbelt Province.
Speaking at a full council meeting on Tuesday, Kitwe City Council Town Clerk Ali Simwinga said the local authority was no longer responsible for the repair of roads in the city.
Mr. Simwinga said it was the responsibility of RDA to construct, maintain and manage all road networks in Zambia.
He noted that RDA had signed an agreement with Kitwe City Council hence the local authority was under obligation to submit its road programmes to the Agency for implementation.
He added that the council had submitted all its road programmes and was waiting the implementation that was to be done by RDA.
Mr. Simwinga regretted that up-to-date, RDA had not responded.
He said lack of operation funding to Road authorities from RDA and NFRA had resulted in a negative attitude by the local residents.
He added that previously when roads were advertised in August 2008, its bidders did not manage to work on them or could not just qualify.
Mr. Simwinga hoped that bidders for this year’s advertisement could succeed to help deliver better services to the local residents.
He has since appealed to the residents and all road users to participate in the road maintenance by guarding roads jealously.
Meanwhile, the Road Development Agency (RDA) says it is doing everything possible to ensure that township roads in most parts of the Copperbelt are worked on.
RDA Head of Public Relations Loyce Saili told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that RDA is aware of the poor state of most roads in the country and is working around the clock to ensure that most roads are repaired.
Ms Saili disclosed that RDA did advertise for bidders in the print media and are now at the stage where they are receiving and evaluating the tenders from the bidders.
She explained that tenders are being received from bidders for the construction and repair of some roads in Kitwe, Chililabobwe, Ndola and Luanshya.
Ms Saili further explained that the roads were supposed to have been worked on earlier except that the RDA failed to do so because the bids were too high.
She said as much as RDA would like to work on most township roads around the country, it would be very difficult if bidders were not been reasonable.
ZANIS
Halo mr simwinga,tell your people also there to take care of public property.why is it that all the robots in kitwe have got no green glasses on bulbs are exposed.
It’s about time something was done about the Kitwe roads. Ms Saili should also realise some of roads need serious and expensive workmanship to withstand the weight of the trucks carrying mining equipment that RDA continues allowing to use the roads instead of the railline.
Roads are not just needed in Kitwe. even here in Lusaka we have a long way to go. my view is that GRZ needs to revisit the way the fuel levy is administered. if Lusaka has say 50% of all motor vehicles in zambia, a lot of attention should be paid to Lusaka roads in a similar manner. we need tarred roads in both new Kabwata and kabwata site and service. it is unfair for whoever is responsible to only tar nyumba yanga. where is our MP? we need tarred roads in the above mentioned areas. there is just too much dust. when are our concils going to start planting trees in our townships to reduce on dust especially this season, is it a responsibility of RDA or someone else? Councillors be serious
This is the revival of RED TAPE RDA should not have been allowed to do township roads instead concetrate on major high ways. Otherwise these guys from Lusaka will be awarding contracts to their friends. The system should have allowed councils to submit their proposals to RDA for appraisal and approval then fund the councils. RDA only comes in to ensure that the contractor works according to to design specifications or monitor the progress. Otherwise there wont be checks and balances and we will end up in a situation like the case at Ministry of Health HQ and ZAWA where donors have withheld funding. Copperbelt has never been short of civil emgineering firms.
# 3 I feel you only I think Lusaka has received too much attention like you say how can we have roads in Nyumba yanga being tarred when, Roads on all the mining towns are in a pathetic state and Iam not talking about residential roads but main access roads. The copperbelt runs the Zambian economy but the neglect that it gets in terms of government service provision is sickening. Traffic lights don’t function well. And these are the ones left in the 80s. In Lsk there are traffic lights being installed and replaced everywhere. Maybe you will understand why PF is popular. Since ZCCM was sold nothing has been done here. Councillors don’t know their duties. To them it’s time to sell plots and make a quick buck…..twachula pafula!
when are the kitwe roads going to have some consideration? I understand that you say that its up to the Road Traffic to do the roads, but as Town Clerk, sir, i do feel that you should be checking to see that this work is done. we are getting to the stage where we are battling to drive to work now – we pay taxes, we pay our licences, we pay K2000 to park in the city, we are now paying carbon tax and … guess what … we cant drive to work!! i think you should take a trip around the industrial area – around Takis Garage to the hospital and see what you think … please, on behalf of the Kitwe residents, i am asking you to have a look at our roads.,