THE Road Development Agency (RDA) has awarded contracts to three companies to redesign and construct the Chingola-Solwezi and Chingola-Chililabombwe highways.
RDA director and chief executive officer Kanyuka Mumba said on Wednesday that the three contractors will move on site this month.
He said the Chingola-Solwezi road will be redesigned into a dual carriageway continuing from the Kitwe-Chingola road, which has been upgraded into a dual carriageway.
Mr Mumba also said RDA has decided to redesign the Chingola-Chililabombwe road into a dual carriageway to ease traffic congestion between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Speaking during a public meeting on Wednesday, Mr Mumba said RDA is ashamed of the state of the Solwezi-Chingola road.
“We don’t take pride looking at that road. We are going to take action as RDA and you will see action being done around April,” Mr Mumba said.
He also said the Chingola-Solwezi road has deteriorated fast due to heavy traffic leading to and from the mines.
Meanwhile, Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Yamfwa Mukanga said Government is not happy with the state of some roads.
He is particularly unhappy about the state of Chingola-Solwezi road.
“This is why we lost elections in North-Western Province because of that road, so as Government we are looking forward to completing that road,” Mr Mukanga said.
Very empty article! Who are the appointed contractors? At what cost and what are the construction timelines for each? How many job is each project planned to create for the unemployed youths living along the length of these roads? This is what Zambians want to know – not how minister so and so is gram bling about the state of the roads!
Mwalishupafye ba shikulu imwe
@ Ngwee,,,,,
…you are right in a way …but the lasting solution is in the construction of rail-line as an alternative for mega-load haulage and should be backed by legislation ….we shall be talking of the same road rehab every other 4 years….
It won´t have an impact by tarring Chingola-Solwezi. This is all about wanting to win election in North-Western Province, that’s why Mukanga cannot give the time frame, cost etc because they want to use it has a campaign tool. Let us develop the nation because we are mandated to do so, not because you want to win the election. North-Westerners have made up their minds they are now UPND supporters. If PF had started to develop North-Western Province the time they took over from MMD, people would have appreciated them. PF is behaving like an opposition party.
CHINESE: What’s long’o with you Zambia people, Just TOKO, TOKO, TOKO, TOKO ALL THE TIME, NO DO…. ONLY TOKO!!!!
CHINESE: Zambia people work with mausi(mouth)……. And whether we like it or not, these fellows are RIGHT!!!!
Kudos, Kanyuka Mumba. But award it to serious contractors such as Nyatsi. Look at how they have worked on Solwezi_- Mutanda_- Lumwana stretch. They have the equipment and excellent standards. The road and drainages are just superbub!
you can’t advise on procurement issues. zedians awe mwandi!
… wonderful news but what time frame is attached to each project….. and former Mufulira concentrator engineer says, that is why we lost elections in N/Western province…….Kafwako
Nothing of information to anybody in this article except for an ignorant cadre. Appalling journalism.
WHO IS DOING THE WORKS AND HOW MUCH IS BEING SPENT? That is the news we want to know
And when you know who is involved what are you going to do with it? Just know the government has promised and so demand for results! Make them accountable for what they say! You can know who’s there but if he is so incompetent to do anything does it change the status quo?
How many times are they going to keep awarding this contract to companies and for how many years since they started talking about the same. Useless people, they will continue losing elections in Noeth Western. If they have failed to repair the current road with only two lane where will they get the money to do a dual carriage way? This government of failures should stop fooling the people North Western.
2016 elections are coming and that is when you think of Solwezi – chingola road. Shame upon you. Do the road but remember no vote for you. It is responsibility of government to do that and not hold people at ransom as kaingu told the lozi people. If the Lozis are taking it to be development to have Lozi vice president let them go ahead and vote for PF candidates
Where was Mukunga for him to be ashamed of Solwezi-Chingola road now?
Because your uncle Sata is no more,i thank God for taking him away from Zambia to the grave and meet the devil in hell.
How many times and many contractors are going to be awarded the same contract?
Your days are numbered its your role as government to work on this road but 2016 forget we would rather vote on a dog not PF.Only dull people and unwise will vote for this useless government.
Viva North -western the stone once rejected by builder has become the corner stone of the building
Mwebantu,what ever gvt decide to do is bad. So the gvt should not work on the road or do anything developmental coz 2016 is an election year. Why are you so critical? And you think everyone else is interested in you negativity. Be serious!
Please levy the mines each time they haul the copper on that road. It’s their copper that eats that road and yet they evade paying taxes at every turn. We wouldn’t be borrowing so heavily for infrastructure development if those clowns paid their dues. Here is a chance to squeeze that tax out of them smartly – install copper toll gates please.
Iyoo mulasabaila on this blog. Some trying very hard to sound intelligent while others are pure arses!
LT
What kind of reporters are you? Who was awarded contract? Whats the cost and Time frame?
These are the only two questions that matter. The rest of the info we dont care and its useless to the public.
Contractors have been on this road since 2011. Kansanshi,China Geo,Road Pave,and now others . You have energy to cheat people.
Why cant they put toll gates on all major roads in the country,and use the same funds to improve,expand and maintain the roads.Alternatively they can start public/private partnership where one private company runs the roads and collect the tolls and share the profits with the government.Win win all the way for parties.
Wat chinsali-nakonde road even the revenue fo govt z coming frm.