Flame Construction Company Project Manager Simon Kahle (second left)
inspecting the on-going construction works at Robert Makasa University
in Chinsali Muchinga Province. The construction works are 98 percent
complete
Construction works on the K107 million first phase of Robert Makasa University in Chinsali district in Muchinga province are progressing well and nearing completion.
Muchinga Province Minister Gerry Chanda says works done so far are of quality standard adding that the university under construction is a master piece and a beauty on its own.
Colonel Chanda said this when he toured the project to check on the progress yesterday.
The minister said he is happy with the works that have been done so far saying the workmanship is impressive.
Colonel Chanda said the commitment and professionalism shown by the contractor is admirable and should be emulated by others in the construction business.
He also said once the project is completed it will add value and change the face of not only Chinsali but the entire province.
The minister further added that the Robert Makasa University is better designed than the country‘s highest learning institution, The University of Zambia.
Project Manager Mohamed Abdelhay said works are expected to be completed within two months if funds are released on time.
Mr Abdelhay said the failure to pay the contractor on time by the government has greatly affected the progress on the project.
He said government has not paid the company on the three claims of certificates which have been submitted so far.
And Site Engineer Goodson Nkaka Lombe said four lecture blocks have been completed and that other structures are at painting level.
Mr Lombe said the contractor is currently working on three hostels.
Robert Makasa University is being constructed by Egyptian contractor, Flame Construction Company.
Meanwhile, Colonel Chanda says he is happy that finally works on the Paul Mushindo University in Lubwa Mission have commenced.
COVEC Construction Company has been engaged by the government to construct Paul Mushindo University whose works are now on foundation level.
Deleted..stick to the topic at hand
@1 Have failed to get sense out of your comment at the matter at hand. Thank you for your sentiments on a wrong page.
Now lets look at same questions and facts?
1. What’s the population of chinsali and how many high schools are available in the region?
2. Who are the most promising prospectus students that will enrol in the university?
3. How many social amenities are available and how is the security in the area?
4. Why construct two universities in the same area than constructing one elsewhere, say Eastern, western or Southern even if the idea is to ease over enrolment at other [public universities?
5. What is the state of roads to the Chinsali and how accessible is it?
Worthy an in-depth debate; Is Sata posturing that the benefits of education economics must be dominated by one region in the supply chain of these universities??
Why two (2) universities (Paul Mushindo in Lubwa Mission and Robert Makasa University in Chinsali),same region than constructing one in say North-western where 3/4 of the money is coming from. Also to underpin it on the economics of distribution and easy access on the basis of demography, if the idea is to ease over enrolment at other [public universities)?The resources in NWP are being depleted without tangible benefits in the province, can the MPS from NWP raise these issues constantly please.
HD Loudspeaker:
You have asked questions that I think are not fully relevant. For example, the number of schools in Chinsali has nothing to do with justfication or the lack of it to build a university over there. Similary, road infractructure is not crucial. The real questions I see worth asking are of the type below:
1. Who are the lecturers who will teach at this university and other new universities so rapidly being opened up when we r facing major staff shortages at UNZA and CBU? Are we sending people for PhDs?
2. Do we have curricula and management for this new university in place? Who will agree to go and live in Chinsali even though the place is a brand new university?
I am not in support of 2 universities in the same district but want to hear from others on the…
@YAMI VISION 2030+
You are right!!! The current fulcrum of Zambia’s economy is perfectly pivoted on the three huge mines in NWP. Problem is non of any of the MPs are affiliates to the ruling party, only the embattled dancing king Masumba was but no longer . That will be a huge mammoth task for them. I haven’t seen any Corporate Social Responsibility by GRZ to plough back to the communities of the province too.
However, construction of Universities is not a bad idea but lets have checks and balances that they are constructed to benefit the majority. If there was a long term plan to do so in each provincial capital that would be an icing on the cake! Politia men have no such ideas!!!
@ Mwana muchende. even some of ur questions are irrelevant. eg, who will teach in these universities? Ans: we have so many un employed graduates – both degree and masters level looking for jobs. Chinsali will no longer be a small place. It is being developed into a modern town. The only question u should ask is why two universities in one place.
Mwanamuchemde:
Now road infrastructure is critical too. People need good roads for easy travelling. Roads are one of the major issues that brings development to a town (Transport).
Even if there is a shortage of lecturers at UNZA and CBU, the problem is the bad conditions of services the govt has over the two institutions (Low budget allocation). If conditions of services will be improved some lecturers will be willing to relocate to such areas. NEVERTHELESS, constructing a UNIVERSITY in a small town like chinsali???? come on!! Na Kasama yawamako.
A university is not about a design…. its the quality of graduates its can produce. Where in the world will you take a degree from Robert Makasa University?
Reminds me of a time when a young South African student came to Australia trying to study for a masters with his first degree from Mangosuthu University Of Technology in South Africa… he was simply told to go back
Chi****** Sata Satanaa is just developing his areas. This old piece of crap should just check out and go to hell. And leave Zambia alone. Useless old fossil.
HD Loudspeaker. The location of a university is not an issue. I agree with on the issue of conditions of service. Somewhere in RSA, there is a University located in the mid of mountains and surrounded by villages. When the conditions of service are ideal, Lecturers will be willing to work anywhere in the country. Remember, Chinsali is a district and has potential to grow.
They say HH is a tribalist when Sata is the worst tribalist president Zambia has ever had and will ever have. He is not even ashamed of his tribalist. When I see Sata’s picture, I nauseate.
Says the man who can’t tell that he is in the sun and the guard carrying the umbrella is enjoying the shade
awe kwena, wansekesha sana tata iwe uli shilu!!!!!!
Oh my goodness. You are so right. What a nincompoop! I suppose for him the umbrella carrying guard is a ‘pose’. Too funny.
i thot there was something wrong with the picture and u have nailed it!
the same minister in the picture is not even mentioned in the article
Oh really ?! Goood to know.
bo saulosi, go and teach at the university in chinsali. you heard what the president said to the people in botswana, to paraphrase, arent you ashamed,teaching tswanas when your own children are there. so incito yamoneka, why are you teaching europeans when your own people are there who need your expertise and skills more than the europeans.
bo saulosi, go and teach at the university in chinsali. you heard what the president said to the people in botswana, to paraphrase, arent you ashamed,teaching tswanas when your own children are there. so incito yamoneka, why are you teaching europeans when your own people are there who need your expertise and skills more than the europeans. tulemilolela boss.
…..retracted in young boys. Many Zambians don’t know this and forcibly retract it and this can lead to complications that prompt doctors to berate parents for not having circumcised their sons. In 80% of boys the foreskin does not fully retract before age ten. This is not a pathology, it is normal development.
KACHIPULE FYE NAIWE!
Things are happening in the bemba land, now i have seen that you need to have your own to have a university in your province. Cobra the master tribalist.
Of course the design has to be better than that of UNZA, it has to be modern. Now my worry is about the name, Robert Speedwell Kapasa Makasa authored a few books in ichibemba, was a politician I didn’t know him as an academician or scholar. Professor Goma went to school at Lubwa in Chinsali and he excelled in academics and became the first Zambian Vice Chancellor for UNZA. The University should have been named after him, or is it because he was not a son of the soil?
These considerations are worthy an in-depth debate;
Why two (2) universities (Paul Mushindo in Lubwa Mission and Robert Makasa University in Chinsali),same region than constructing one in say North-western where 3/4 of the money is coming from. The resources in NWP are being depleted without tangible benefits in the province, can the MPS from NWP raise these issues constantly please. Better still why not construct one in Eastern, western or Southern underpinned on economics of distribution and easy access, if the idea is to ease over enrolment at other [public universities)?
That is becoz “ifutu” lyesu thinks that by building universities all over the place, will rub a bit of intelligence in this thick mutwe!!! Yes universities, but no proper primary & secondary schools!!
Chinsali town is in Muchinga Province while Lubwa is in Luapula. What do you mean same region?
Mushindo,ha!ha!ha! kwati ni nsele
HD Loudspeaker,
The questions you have raised are very good, in life there are efforts and there are results. In 1965 when the late Vilantine Musakanya and Hon Chikwanda wanted to build dual carriageway from Solwezi to Livingstone they met a dead end because KK said Zambians had no vehicles, but 48 years later there is need to widen these roads.
. The population of Chinsali is not a factor, as the University will be for Zambians. The region has more than 10 high schools.
. The University will create employment hence there will be more money a likely scenario is that people with money then will invest in social amenities and security.
. The state of the roads now are pathetic due to negligence by the former governments but it should not be measuring stick. We need dreamers to…
Sata fast tracking development of muchinga province at the expense of other regions. This is pure tribalism.
NWProvince has been neglected by SATA despite accounting for a lot of wealth in Zambia today.
Good point Mpangula Mputyu.
They say HH is a tribalist when Sata is the worst tribalist president Zambia has ever had and will ever have. He is not even ashamed of his tribalist. When I see Sata’s picture, I nauseate.
Very good discussion going on. For me, I think feeder schools availability is not an issue because the universities are in Zambia. Zambians used to go to Solusi University in Zimbabwe to get degrees on distance learning and are now pilling themselves from all parts of the country at Rusangu University in Monze where thousands go for just distance learning. What is a problem for me is the concentration of the two schools in one are. I am sure the two versities might have similar schools. Why lamp them together? Why not in another region? Unless one of them will be for some speciality only but if it is just to show people that they have those buildings because their own is in power, that is not right and might not even be appreciated. May be more trade schools would have helped.
A university with four lecture blocks!!!!
Why two Universities in one Province at the same time?Eastern Province hasn`t received any major project.Even the Great East Road has now turned into a death trap for the traveling public.
Having a lot of Universities is a good thing because there are alot of benefits for having an educated society. however, we should note that building university infrastructure is not enough to improve education standards in the country. How much are we doing in improving the education policy as the whole as well as employment creation (real jobs for graduates). Take surveys of profetional jobs, especially in the mine, that are taken by foreigners with ordinally skills. Which jobs are Zambians going to have if this trend is allowed. Also CBU and University of Zambia are over enrolled not because these universities want to create more spaces for Zambians but they want to get numbers that will help them generate enough money to run the univrsities because of poor financial support from gov
1. In answer to the questions as to why two Universities in one area it suffices to mention that the buildings at the two new universities are not entirely new. One was already done up to roof level and was meant to be a police training college in the Kaunda era. The other was Kaunda’s residence which had a lot of buildings which no one really uses. In a sense, it’s due to the availability of unfinished massive buildings already there in the area that the govt took advantage since it’s cheaper to complete them than start from the scratch.
2. We need universities regardless of where they are. If we put a stadium in Ndola or Mongu or Livingstone other provinces should not cry for the same because they don’t belong to people if the province but to all Zambians. It’s a question of…
I think we a wrong gvt. in place, surely two universities in one area what does it mean?
K107million? Looks like a high school to me (may be a small college)…
thats just for phase 1 not knowing how many phases it wil take to complete
All roads lead to Muchinga! Only muchinga province projects seem to be progressing
Honestly, how can this be better than UNZA? Just the vet school at Unza cost $40 million dollars to build – 20 years ago!!!! We are led by real danderheads!!! Should just shussup if they have nuts to say
We all should know that the building of the two Universities in one region was not by accident but by his will ,the president, to please his people. Its sad that very few able to see this unfair sharing of the Zambia’s resources. I heard he said he wants to make sure that he finishes building Robert Makasa university before he leaves office. Nothing was mentioned about the other province. this whole thing looks like fair thing to do by his , but if you think about it it could have been done in a better was.
It pays to be the carrier of the umbrella, you monopolize it’s shade!
it was started by rb and it was to be a maths and science university, even in one of his campaign adverts its there…………..
Today the PF want to sing praises over these Egyptian mafias who have stolen a lot money from the same mulakupikwa college. No wonder 4 years down the line its not finished. These are the same guys who have illegally built at baobab land with Sakwiba sikota. Now i hear they building mulenga sata a house. Zambian politics please
White elephant in the making!
What people see as negatives I see as progressive moves
1. Schools in a rural area is a plus, students will have little social life so they will concentrate more on academics
2. Schools in the same area are in proximity for collaboration of projects/research between the two campuses for example if one college’s emphasis is in Engineering and the other is in Business the two can work together explore a concept both from the engineering point of view and the business aspect of that project.
Small colleges of specializations in various rural areas are a way to go. Private sector can get into the big universities business.
Hopefully after this the government will move to another province to build universities there as well in different areas of concentration.
If any institution…
Nothing wrong with constructing new universities, BUT, why so far from actual industries? Where are the students going to practice what they are learning? Where will they find internships? That’s why it is important to have dialogue with stakeholders before embarking on huge expensive projects — ideas that hinge on politics. It’s going to be another diamond in the sand. Good lecturers will refuse to teach there.
Intreresting discussion! What nI have not heard is what are the schools going to opffering?Is it Engineering,Education roMedicine?Will they be recognised internationall?
I do agree with there is nothing wrong building the universities but there is everything wrong in building 2 universities in the same area.
Intreresting discussion! What I have not heard is what programmes the 2 universities will be to offering?Is it Engineering,Education roMedicine?Will they be recognised internationall?
I do agree that there is nothing wrong building the 2 universities but there is everything wrong in building 2 universities in the same area.
PUAL MUSHINDO (munyelo0 university ..my foot. I gues mushota will teach their after her PhD
‘Paul Mushindo’ University!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would not send my child to a University with such a Name. Paul Mushindo means Paul Anus in many languages – Lenje, Soli …..Kikikikikiiiii ATi Paul MUSHINDO University!
Bonse fye muli fipuba
We chipuba niwe. We mbwawe.
The only people who will appreciate this will be of the next generation.Sata and Mwanawasa (mhsrip) have built this country .Total of their legacies will be out in the next generation not you imbeciles who only see any building or construction in the North or MUCHINGA to be tribal in conotation.Robert Makasa University is for Zambians and the all world not Chinsali PEOPLE or Bembas as you foolishly think .London UNIVERSITY is not for Londoners but for the world .
It’s so an fortunate that you our youths are getting entangled into tribal hatred so terribly through the medium of the social media.we must appreciate every single development taking place in every corner of this country;north east west or southern region.Zambia is just one country,another leader will emerge to come and think of developing another region,that’s how it goes.chinsali have been under developed for a very long time.do not say it does not deserve to have modern learning institutions,things are changing.everything has to start small,then grow bigger.if you will not need to take your son there,maybe your great grand children would want to go and learn from there after you are long dead.don’t be so short sighted.The man who pioneered the modern Arab emirate started to build…