NATIONAL RESTORATION PARTY
PRESS STATEMENT TOLL GATES
The introduction of toll gates by the Patriotic Front government is unacceptable. These electronic barriers should only be applied on new roads and not old roads. It is unfortunate that funds are always misapplied.
It is unfair for the ruling party to introduce toll gates for Zambians because they pay the highest taxes interns of road tax for using roads in the country. This is just another way of getting money from people’s pockets by making Zambians pay a double fee.
As National Restoration Party youths, we highly disagree with the introduction of toll gets on our roads in the country. Transport is already expensive for a common man hence introducing another form of Road tax will make transport even more expensive.
The rainy season is around the corner and some roads are still in a bad state. Motorists will have a hard time getting to their destinations yet they are subjected to so many taxes such as carbon emission tax when government cannot be accountable for all these monies.
We are calling on the Road Development Agency (RDA) to tell the nation whether they want motorists to stop paying road tax through the current system and pay through toll gates. RDA should clearly state what these monies are for because we do not know where they will be taking these monies. In the midst of employment and wage freeze, government must not put more economic pressure on its citizens.
Toll gates only work well in countries where the government is accountable. NAREP is appealing to the PF administration to have pity on the people because no Zambian deserves this from a government people thought came to liberate us.
Bwalya Nondo
Secretary General
NAREP National Youth League
21st October 2013
This level of ignorance is frightening.
Shouldn’t the roads be self-financing honestly?
I may not support PF but on this one I agree with the PF government. Toll gates are necessary as the money realised from this will be used to maintain the roads. The only worry will be the issue of accountability of the monies realised from Toll-gates. Hopefully, corruption wont set it.
Ati NAREP, muleikalafye ngatamukwete ifyakulanda. Ignorance ibi.
some of you diasporians, your reasoning is SHOCKING!! I dont know if its the fastfood you eat which clogging your brain cells to a point of malfunction.. NAREP youths are raising good and important points here… there are Roads taxes already being paid to Boma and those taxes are not accounted for in terms of seeing quality road maintance,,
Besides there is 8000 link or link Zambia project which was flaged off recently,, why not complete it first, have good roads and implement the toll gate system,, it makes sense that way
With pay rises in parly the cash has to come from somewhere! lol
The objections raised by NAREP make a lot of sense.
This is what it means to objectively criticize govt and offer alternative policy on national issues.
I am beginning to like NAREP
Exactly, this is the word that first came into my mind, IGNORANCE. Toll gates are used all over the world and mostly in developed countries to raise money for road networks maintenance. The money collected becomes so huge such that some of it is even used for new roads construction. My uncles party disappoints me some times. Sometimes they appear brainy and wise, sometimes they come out as a bunch of ‘fools’. Toll roads must be a must.
In 1.7, I meant a bunch of fuuls.
We already pay Road tax, Carbon tax and fuel levy. NAREPS contention is that paying taxes is ok as long as there is accountability by the government. We pay so many exorbitant taxes without any benefit of paying these taxes whatsoever. We go to private hospitals, take our children to private schools and drive on bad roads. The taxes we are paying are enough for govt. to maintain and construct new roads. The sad story is that our taxes are invested in politician’s salaries and allowances. Any new roads you see today are built from borrowed money which the youth of this country will have to repay at great cost when these unschooled skunks would be long dead. My problem is also *****s like peopleAThotmail.com who cannot think and when we vote these *****s are in the majority. They have eyes…
Never Thot Chipamo is this backwards!!!…I feel sorry for the young man an his alarming level of ignorance…
Narep, just shut up if you have nothing constructive to say. so backward minded.
They probably have a point on accountability but not on payment of the tolls per se. I think people would not complain very much if they saw where their taxes go. But when you use Carbon tax to fund the Executive and Legislature’s salary increases that is a misapplication and not helpful to ensuring that carbon emissions are reduced in the country.
In fact the price of fuel has always been built in fuel price, but the money has never gone towards the road maintainance . It is a shame .
Fuel levy was removed….by PF GOVT.
THIS IS IDIOCY OF THE WORST KIND!
We need to improve on the quality of the roads before talking of toll gates. Lusaka Ndola road needs to be a dual high-way.
NAREP Youth mwalipena..?
NAREP is useless. Toll gates is a step in the right direction ba ngwele
NAREP youths please do not parade your ignorance in public! You do not have a modicum of idea of what you are talking about! The media always run programmes to educate the masses. Please follow those then u come and contribute meangfully! Don’t rush into press statements before u know what you are talking about!!
Wallas try to decern what they are saying before crticising.Even if it may be a good idea the present regime does not have the moral bearing to implement it.This is a government that does not respect the budget how can you trust them to make use of the funds prudently.If a bye election where to occur and they had no funds they would find no qualms in missapropriating money raised frm tow gates.
yaba!
NAREP, IMAGINE WE ALL BOYCOTTED
TAXATION AND VAT UNTIL GOVERNMENT
BECAME ACCOUNTABLE.
AS WE SPEAK THIS GOVERNMENT IS BUSY
REFURBISHING OUR ROADS.
PLEASE BE MATURE…
Thats why i have always thought NAREP is a mediocre party and its leadership. There is nothing wrong with toll gates. The only thing we need to do is hold govt accountable so that the money raised is pumped back into making the roads world class. Lets not be afraid to grow. It can work well in zambia provided the leadership has the will and determination.
Thats exactly what NAREP is saying….so u agree with what NAREP said and yet u criticized them. READ b4 u comment.
Road tax, fuel levy, carbon tax…. They are already enough. How many taxes are we going to pay? These roads are being funded by our taxes (income, corporate etc). This govt is clueless but it’s what you get when a finance minister is a survivor of stroke and speaks from the side of his mouth, and the president is a washed-up cobra who is now a pet in the state zoo. Naiwe wine! Ninkumfwa chi-colour.
Criticise the system and not the person. Chikwanda did not choose to suffer from a stroke. You can also suffer from any disease anytime and no one would be justified to talk badly about your ailment.
Narep is ok on this one! There is no accountability in government , so this should wait until a proper system is in place, our money is too precious to be looted by shameles thieves.
The introduction of toll fees is good BUT not the way this Govenment want to do it. These things need proper management NOT thru RDA that’s madness! RDA is useless! They will buy cars for themselves and they do not have the resources to manage toll roads…… PF thik again!
Most of the people supporting tolls ve exhibited alot of ignorance and a clear indication that u ve never experienced a toll road in yo lives. Im not against toll roads(a road wt a toll gate) but I ve argued that there is no road in Zambia which qualifies to have a toll gate. The first step to introducing a toll gate is to upgrade the roads and mostly they ve to b dual lanes. Which road is dual apart from Ndola Kitwe. Secondly, it is to create a system that wl ensure that money from tolls is re’invested in the project. CHECK THESE FACTS WT RSA WT AN EFFECTIVE SYSTEM!
Bwana, even in RSA there is a big debate on toll gates! What we need is accountability in the systems and ensure money is spent on intended issues.
Already we are subjected to fuel levy which is supposed to go to road maintenance and now the Toll gates!!! PF not subject citizens to bearing the burdens of their impulse spending which has made Govt broke. Its ironical that some people can even support such unacceptable ventures. I now agree with the saying that ” the more victimisation is on peoples’ backs, the more foolish they become. Open your eyes and see…..
NAREP have a good point. HOWEVER, PF have even a better argument for introducing toll gates. Zambians must realise that time for free things is long gone. If you can’t afford a toll fee just don’t drive – probably sell your car OR park your car and wait until you have money to pay. It is as simple as that. Part of the reason for the toll gate fees is exactly to reduce the numbers of vi-milokoto on our roads, some of which do not even have headlamps at night. Let us all be reasonable. There is no way today you can go to passport office and ask for a free passport, why then should you be given a free road? You pay, you go. Constructing and upgrading these roads costs money, that is why Chikwanda had to borrow.
If money at the toll gates will be collected by human beings who will have to issue a receipt for accountability purposes I cannot imagine the traffic jams that will result from this. While the intention may sound noble but it is the implementation part of it which gets me worried. This was almost tried at one moment but the then leaders listened to the voice of reason. This is something that needs a lot of thought before we can just jump on the idea just because other countries are doing it. Lots of cash will be sitting at the toll gates so you need good security because thieves will pounce and steal millions of kwachas meant for roads. I plead with the powers that be that think this through carefully (consider all the pros and cons) before jumping on this idea.
NAREP please stop misleading the public.This level of ignorance is backward and dangerous!Think before you exhibit your wrapped thinking in public.Roads can be maintained through tolls insteady of continously borrowing from other countries.We must learn to sacrifice a bit to develop our country.For how long ard we going to depend on donors?Stop thinking like kids!!
Anything that goes into the pockets of an ordinary Zambian driver will not be welcome news considering the recent removal of subsidies. I personally have no qualms with the idea of toll gates but it is the implementation which could prove to be cumbersome. Are these going to be located in areas like Kafue because anything that touches Lusaka where traffic is concerned will just add to the congestion no matter how automated these gates are going to be? Also before implementation let our Parliamentarians discuss all the cost and benefit issues. Ideas like these should not just be announced from nowhere but there should be clear sensitization on the part of the public so that they understand and appreciate why they are being asked to pay for using the roads to avoid a backlash.
toll gates are alreadyan act of parliament. Where was narep in 2011 when toll gates were being debated in parliament. Now is is law and at implemantation stage.
What is worrying is that Mr. Chipimo jnr is one of our learned lawyers and prospect of becoming republican president and yet doesnt understand what an act of parliament is! Amazing ignorance for sure
The bloggers on this and other Zambian editions really surprise me, you complain about any and everything. It seems constructive and objective blogging is very difficult for a lot of you. NAREP have raised a valid point, instead of digesting what is being raised and commenting then, *****s rush to commet for the same of writing something.
You the same people that complain of old recycled politicians, condemn a young and upcoming politician and party. I for one think Chipimo and NAREP raise real issues and mostly only comment or criticise where necessary. They are not into mere politicking or gaining political mileage by taking advantage of people’s suffering. Zambian bloggers need to get serious, some of you need an education. Learn to raise above petty political and tribal…
Tribal affiliations
Pay toll can only work where there is dual carriageway road like Ndola to Kitwe and with another road for those who can not afford to pay or not in hurry. The idea is good but not for now may be in near future.
Then we will have a tough time as Transporters. You pay road tax, 3% of your revenue (tax), spares parts becoz of bad roads, traffic/ratsa/road blocks etc. haaaa, where are we going. In the UK, very few roads have Toll Gates, but pa Zed kuti babika napa ma roads yonse including na mu ma towns
Toll gates well so long there’ll be accountability and they’ll have to cover all road users with no exemption to MP’s, ministers and all government fleet as it happens in countries where toll gates are effective. My fear is that the toll will be selective or aimed only at the already heavily taxed Zambian motorists
TOLL GATES ARE GOOD, BUT I CANNOT TRUST PF GOVT IN AS FAR AS MONEY IS CONCERNED. LET THEM TARGET FOREIGN TRUCKS AND LET THE STATUS QUO FOR ZAMBIAN VEHICLES CONTINUE. REMEMBER THERE WAS A K10 TAX PER LITRE OF FUEL. HOW THAT MONEY WAS ACCOUNTED FOR ONLY GOD KNOWS. THIS IS THE WEAKNESS IN THE ACCOIUNTABILITY OF FUNDS IN ZAMBIA. GOD HELP US.
Fees from tollgates will fund road rehabilitation and constructions. It is strange that tollgates should meet stiff opposition in this way. Please NAREP focus on the maintenance of high class road network. Ignore the individual cases of a corrupt person and concentrate on the common good.
why not understand the issue before rushing to the press and expose such levels of ignorance.elias chipimo next time talk to these character before tthey start embarassing you further.NAREP YOUTH just shut your tramps
Zamabia being landlocked we have the chance to raise money for the continuous maintenance of the roads.The issue of toll gates is long overdue as many SADC countries have implemented this measure.To avoid mispapplication stringent measures should be in place to account for the money.
Am only worried about the dealys and congestions that will be created because of inefficiencies in revenue collection process visa vie reciepting and issuance of reciepts.Otherwise the idea is good and welcome but they look at potential delays and corruption that will come with th implementation of the programm.
Mwabimba PF, best way to collect revenue for further development. Awe kalebalika PF wesu kuti mama Universities in two years only.
THE MOST RIDICULOUS TAX FOR ZAMBIA IS THE CARBON EMISSION TAX.
FIRST OF ALL, UNLIKE INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES, CARBON EMISSIONS ARE NOT AN ISSUE IN ZAMBIA.
SECONDLY, WHERE DO THE EMMISSION TAXES GO?
SOME MISGUIDED TECHNOCRATS ARE JUST COPYING USELESS IDEAS.
I support narep on toll gate views
i support the idea but honestly whole lot of you commenting you have no touch of civility in your arguments,i mean no one has mentioned the infrastructure, tollgates just like bridges they are suppose to be built as a national pride structures not tuntemba type of tollgates,zambia will never develop with this mentality.
Zuma sata mugabe u are a fool! U mean u can’t see the sense in what Narep is saying? They are not saying toll gates are bad but that there is already too many road taxes which is not accounted for!
Personally I feel road TAX through toll gates is fine, but can some of you educated friends in this field shade more light on road taxes we are already paying. If they are there how do we harmonize them. I hear as we buy gas for our cars some road tax is paid not carbon tax. Somebody please shade interlecatial light on this so that we contribute with knowledge