truck rehabilitation programme in Livingstone
ZAMBIA Railways Limited (ZRL) has channelled part of the US$120 million towards awarding of tenders to 32 local companies to commence rehabilitation of the railway network.The $120 million is part of the funds released by Government from the $750 million Eurobond obtained in 2012.
President Michael Sata said on Monday that the ZRL had managed to record growth in its haulage capacity since undergoing major rehabilitation works from September last year.Government’s release of the $120 million has seen the railway company undertake major rehabilitation works of the track, rolling stock and signalling system.
President Sata said the future of ZRL looked bright and that Government took the correct stance to recapitalise it.
ZRL chief executive officer Muyenga Atanga said the 32 local firms registered under the Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) would rehabilitate the stretch from Chililabombwe to Livingstone.
Professor Atanga said the works were expected to be completed in November 2015 to ensure that the rail line was improved and speed capacity increased to around 80 kilometres per hour.
Speaking during the awarding of the contracts in Lusaka yesterday, he said the company had targeted to cover 500 kilometres of the railway works this year.Prof Atanga said the railway firm had introduced a deliberate policy in awarding the tenders by giving them to local companies.He said local companies faced challenges in embarking on the railway projects as they did not have the necessary equipment, but that an opportunity had now been availed to empower them so that they could be able to purchase the necessary machinery.
He urged the contractors to engage women in the rehabilitation works as was the case during similar works on the Chipata-Mchinji railway line in Eastern Province.
Prof Atanga assured the contractors of prompt payments to ensure they bought the required equipment.
The ZRL procured 95,941 concrete sleepers for its track rehabilitation programme which resulted in installation of 37,777 new concrete sleepers.
The track rehabilitation programmes would be undertaken at Livingstone, Choma, Monze, Kafue, Lusaka, Chisamba, Kabwe, Kapiri Mposhi, Kafulafuta, Ndola, Kitwe and Chingola depots.
[Times of Zambia]
This is just a ploy, they already know who they will award it to
How feeble
Thanks
“Experience has shown, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.”
? Thomas Jefferson
Thanks
PF should publish the names of all the contractor and their owners. A shock is awaiting you if they do that. Majority of the if not all of them are PF cadres .
They also need to tell the nation when tenders were floated because I could have tendered to help design and build an electric train.
Which University granted this Atanga the professorship. i have been searching his publication record on the internet and can’t get any…someone help!
He is a prof from these tuntemba universities.
What a clever way to syphon the €750 million by creating piece work for the vulnerable who are struggling to make ends meet.
It wont be long before we hear some have not been paid salaries like most council workers in newly created districts.
Ba Mambala.. This money has already been stolen
9 Contracts goes to Cabinet Ministers
4 Contracts to the Family Tree.
3 Contracts to 3 Permanent Secretaries.
1 Contracts goes to the First Lady……
1 Contracts goes Sata’s concumbine’s brother
One of the contractors is called Atanga Diggers,
the Cliver LTD is scrapped and owner is under investigations. I will supply pick-handles through the Nostra suppliers LTD.
@Nostradamus
Ndobo workingwear LTD will supply proper footwear and gloves
I can supply empty suitcases and the song that made them famous on CD with a hologram… chuckle…
Someone out there has no funny bone. It’s a joke with people using their pseudonyms to set up non existent enterprises… Would be nice to occasionally see people up here lighten up.
And the Sleepers were supplied by Saulosi investments.
Ki ki ki ki ! Mwansekesha sana guys.If only you can set up companies like that instead of hiding in the diaspora.
Big L Dot.Tech will supply and equit ZRL with high-tech signalling equipment and staff training.
Thumbs up Government. I know some Anti-PF pundits will come and condemn this noble exercise and say blah blah blah blah.
Not necessarily.
What most people want is to see Zambian skills used. It’s only when disappointingly it later turns out that 32 businesses were registered with vested interest by one party or another… that’s the part people don’t like.
Otherwise double thumbs up.
If it was awarded to external companies it will be balilyamo bla bla bla.. now it local its still bla bla bla .. kaya some thinking..
Good move by the PF GOVT. More money in our pockets. Go on PF, come 2016 no single opposition party will much with you. It will be a walk over.
Yes ! Job creation ! Pf rocks.
..I hope the selected contractors have or shall employ competent and experienced supervisors with full knowledge of railway construction to oversee this ‘delicate’ project. This project is not like clearing a farmland or a backyard. It bears safety of passengers and goods. So, lets not be politically emotion and excited in the name of empowering local companies and neglecting the vital part of safety……
Rehabilitating rail by hand, picks and shovels, damn joke, besides we need new infrastructure not what Cecil Rhodes left, the only attractive thing about the Attanga diggers is the protective wear
WHAT PROTECTIVE GEAR. ATTANGA HIMSELF HAD A HELMET ON THE SAME OCCASION. THEY DON’T HAVE.
No safety goggles
Do you know a machine is supposed to do that job but in the name of job creation you have these workmen.
EXACTLY!
it sounds great, the only blame is that, with new technology, why still moving at 80 km per hour as others can move up to 380km per hour? this make me feel like we are not know what to do, especially the train system would have helped reduction of fuel and other commodities if we work hard to make the at least the train tackle 3/4 of the transport in zambia.
Because no one will come to zambia to say do this and that to reduce poverty,no BIG NO.
Zmabian lets learn to work together and improve our lives, too much in politics will not help us in any other way of changing life in our country.
I felt bad when i went back home and go around town, Lusaka capital city of ZAMBIA and ZAMBIA the christian nation and peaceful country, the city is very very dirt,oh my GOD, lusaka city,soweto…
I continue, it would have been better to involve big foreign companies to make sure we have beautiful train stations and good look rails, without any doubting every one would have see Zambia becoming one of the developed country.
But young Zambians ,we have involved ourselves into too much politics.
Politicians are bring too much confusions in the country and some of them have nothing to talk about than just insulting the president, the president will never say come here we develop zambia no and never, as he is trying to improve road network,rail network,then lets involve ourselves too.
Zambia is becoming too much of politics,when are we gonna learn?
lets try to avoid politic for our youngest generation,
All we thing is now and not tomorrow oh oh ZAMBIA.
I feel sorry…
Yeah ! A real definition of a working government.Keep it up !!!
This is rubbish,wood winking us ! You have destroyed this beautiful country.There are deals out there.Please give the tender to the Chinese if you are serious.
So the Chinese main contractor can subcontract your local companies to dig holes and lay sleepers?
its hoodwink naimwe…wood wink ka.? kapena remix.
I wonder where he procured 90,000+ concrete sleepers ….is it locally? This is where the jobs are and what one Chriwa had planned…merely handing out tenders for small works is not how you empower local SMEs.
*…created in manufacturing. ..
We must now be demanding for lists of names of the companies that have been awarded including the names of the directors.
Its shocking lies to read that today Zambia has 32 local companies with technical know how to rehabilitate our backward ZRL. These political statements must be backed by independent experts report as a general rule of transparency and accountability. Prior to PF ascendency to power a consortium of investors from Europe and South Africa which have a track record of transforming modern railway system in Europe and South Africa had already engaged with government through PPP a government initiative to revamp Zambia railway and modernization of railway transport system. At government invitation the consortium presented a model which was going to be a show case for the southern Africa sub region.
This is a fantastic move and what I would call empowering Zambians to a certain extent. However, I am a bit concerned about knowledge among Zambians to rehabilitate 500km of rail in 12 months. Zambians need to be trained, maybe by a formidable and experienced consultant first and then allow them to professionally rehabilitate the lines. Putting that in perspective, I wouldnt forecast less than 3 years to meaningfully bring those railways lines to international standards. The picture above is just not a good example of how to rehabilitate the lines. This is my line of work and really Dr Atanga has to rethink the strategy but all in all it is fantastic to let Zambians sort their own infrastructure.
SataWimba Rail Contractors Inc, has oso tendered
And all his 31 subsidiary companies too!
Now we will have to have reVERse subsidies – to pay back the $750 million Eurobond.
More tax on airtime, price of mealiemeal to go up, price of fuel to double to pay the backhander to Trifigura.
And in the end we will just have the same railway that the colonialists built!
They are implementing the Clive Chirwa Plan Indeed!!
Chriwa plan involved manufacturing the sleepers and steel fittings locally not procuring “somewhere”.
This clearly is a good step in terms of empowering our local contractors.What we need however is to ensure that the works meet the required standards for better speeds and safety aspects.We all await what will hopefully be good and prudent management of public resources for the benefit of this great nation Zambia.I urge the management of ZRL to keep their focus and vision on the big picture which is to be the preferred Railway operator in the sub region.God bless our nation
Good development.
Its also high time we linked this line to Muchinji-Chipata, expedite the long overdue North-West Rail Project and connect it through Mulobezi.
There might also be need for some policy to make mandatory use of the rail from a certain tonnage of goods.This would lengthen lifespan of roads.
One of the company is Ilunda Chalo
And the awarding authority is Muyenga Atanga the husband of the PF Deputy Secretary General. What do you expect? Dr Atanga, if the contractors are PF officials, that is corruption and you will have to answer for that sooner or later when there will be no body to protect you. So. Dr. Atanga be careful. Very careful. All the politicians will have defected. You will be answerable alone.
Ati good development,what development?out of the 32 companies ,each cabinet minister with a contract plus their family businesses & u call it development,shame on you ba fikala.
Why can’t he at least publish the list of those 32 local companies and the works packages so we can find out when these companies were established.
That’s $120m straight in their pockets.
Because that is top secret, just like our Constitution! It would be embarrasing to the PF when the taxpayers find out where thier money is going!
…we may require investigative journalism to go worksite to worksite….From Lvngstone to Chingola……..that way the names can easily be established and published. I don’t see ZR doing it…..
More work for ZWD to investigate! !
we could have just hired two chinese companies with proper equipment to do the job. after all they have the experience and expertise. those guys will just be removing grass nothing else.
@Wanzelu how is your “Icinkonko” against PF treating you? For the sake of your life, you should be going for BP check-ups weekly.
I wonder how much money the government is keeping if they are indeed spending that much on the railway, spend a little here keep the rest, 20 years from now we’ll find out that they didn’t do the job correctly coz they cut corners
And government shall release the names of foreign suppliers with value of jobs allotted to them.
This is good news the government at work. MMD failed the people of Zambia, this will increase the life span of our roads.
Previously these were produced at mutwe wa nsofu in kabwe.
Good job ZR. That’s the way to go.
Being registered with PACRA does not guarantee effective ownership to Zambians. In any case by incorporating a company, one is creating a legal entity separate from its owners. Professor indeed!!
It is interesting kwati alewamya uyu Prof. What kind of equipments do these Tuntemba companies have to rehabilitate a national Railway line? Workers don’t even have protective clothes but shavels only? Zambia Zambia….
32 companies! you cannot guarantee the same quality of work by these companies more especially that most especially that these companies have not rehabilitated any railway. We need to seriously ask ourselves what we want as a country. Is it job creation in the short-term by giving jobs to so many people who are unlikely to deliver or long-term employment once the ZR is up and running. Atanga has no intellectual capacity to head this institution. He has given himself the Prof title with no PhD or any publications. They started a katemba University in Lusaka and give themselves titles. oh Zambia
Ah! I get it. They meant 32 casual workers. You can count them….the rest have gone to drink shake-shake
Its too much talking,up to now we cant even see anything tangible happening at Zambia Railways,probably with the ambition Pro Chirwa had we would have been seeing something by now.There’s absolutely nothing to show despite two years passing after its repossession.God help us please.