spilling water over the Ethiopian Airlines aircraft in a picturesque
arc of mist that glowed in bright sunshine during the inaugural flight
to Ndola
Construction works for the 385-million dollars Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) are scheduled to start next month after Exim Bank of China releases 72-million dollars down payment.
China Jiangxi Corporation Zambia Limited the company constructing the airport says the down payment is 20 percent of the Bank’s 360-million dollars contribution to the project.
Company Managing Director Hu Zhiliang has told ZNBC News that the Zambian government has already released its 25-million dollar contribution which has been used for designs and other preparatory works.
Mr. Hu says 72 million dollar is already being processed.
He says the firm has so far put up offices and staff quarters for workers among other structures in readiness for the works.
Mr. Hu adds that 90 percent of the designs have been approved in readiness for the main works despite being behind by almost two months.
He has revealed that the Company will next month start with the construction of the Presidential Terminal Building, Fire Station while construction of the Control Tower and Main Terminal will commence in June.
Mr. Hu says the company has so far employed about 200 people adding that more will be employed next month as the full project will need about 3-thousand employees.
The construction and expansion of the KKIA was officially launched by late President Michael Sata in 2013.
Various local construction companies and engineers have been engaged in the project.
Meanwhile, a contractor, enganged to build 10 housing units for local government workers in Sinda has abandoned the project.
Obster Mbewe reports that this has angered Local Government Deputy Minister, Nicholas Banda, who has ordered for the termination of the contract.
Mr Banda expressed his pleasure when he visited the site yesterday.
He says it is unfortunate that local contractors are failing to execute government projects.
And Principal Engineer, Feston Sikanyika says the contractor was paid 800 thousand kwacha, as advance payment, from the total 4 million kwacha.
Mr. Sikanyika has further explained that the contract was for one year and it was supposed finish in August last year.
And Sinda Council Secretary, Richard Sipoole says efforts to contact the Lusaka-based contractor has proved difficult.
Just before the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Jahannesburg’s OR Tambo International was upgraded to its current size at a cost of R6Billion (US$500million). Now that we’re upgrading KKIA in Lusaka, is government guaranteeing that the new airport will be AT LEAST half the size of the new OR Tambo airport, with the same or better state-of-the-art quality finishes? OR are we going to see a SMALLER AND POOR QUALITY airport the costs escalated have deliberately been escalated to accommodate NICHEKELEKO?
I have seen both the architectural and structural designs for the new terminal, Its a marvel and it will stand out in africa as one of a kind. The 360 million dollars is really worth it. Considering the only local materials shall be cement, sand and stones…..everything will have to be imported. Its a worth it deal
@Seasoned Engineer; It would really be nice to have the kind of airport you’re describing, and your assurance in this regard is comforting. What’s important is for fellow bloggers to appreciate that we raise these questions out of love for mother Zambia coz we want the best value & quality for our country. It’s so relieving and gives a sense of pride to arrive in Zambia and have the feeling of being in a BETTER place than where one’s COMING FROM – we can only MAKE THE START NOW!
@ Seasoned Engineer;
@ Wanu Ngwee.
Whilst architectural beauty its always welcomed, I am concerned with total silence regarding feasibility study.
Are you two gentleman absolutely sure that we are not witnessing “birth” of yet another “white elephant”?
Let us focus on the goodwill of our government and see not corruption at every turn. God bless our leaders!
Macias Nguema was the son of a witch
doctor. Nguema was the first president of
Guinea. Though not as brutal as some other
dictators, he managed to do some of the
weirdest crimes out there. Some of his
crimes include stalking his mistresses’
former lovers. Other crimes he committed
were intellectual murder by killing the
intellectuals of his country. According to
reports , more than a third of Equatorial
Guinea’s population had to flee to other
countries to escape his brutal reign. It was
also reported that he ordered execution of
entire families and villages, during the time
of his reign, the country had neither a
development plan nor proper accounting
system for government funds. Macias
Nguema trusted no one, he spent most of
his time in his ancestral village of…
continued……
of Mongomo,
where he kept the national treasury right
under his bed or in suitcases in his hut, but
on the 18th of August in 1979, he met his
end by his own nephew who sentenced him
to death. His nephew Teodoro Obiang
Nguema is still in power to this day.
@African dictator and the point is?????????
I dont relate with the topic at hand…..I mean what does Nguema have to do with KK airport project?
@African dictator, Sir, did you lose your bearings?
yaba! The fire-engines are NOT spilling water, it’s a water-bow salute for a maiden flight ! when will we REALLY get african or zambian 🙂
***
@African dictator you have plagarised the words from an article ”Top 10 Worst Dictators of Africa
– Answers Africa” and you claim to look clever! If you were at a university, you would be expelled! Last time I am reading or commenting on your blogs! Cilly man!
@Wanu Ngwee I salute you for the excellent point you raise as except for a God given feature (Vic Falls) we have no infrastracture we can be proud of! Even poor Malawi has an exceptional skyline and Zim Dollar has brought fantastic buildings! Forget about comparing with Botswana! In Zambia we have buildings which we started 30 years ago by a ZSIC and to date the building is not finished! Indeed I look forward to see half of OR Int Airport at the KK Int Airport with baby Cobra refunding even half of what he took!
Lets just hope this new airport will not crumble down by cutting down on cement and using cheap metal.
Wow,i really hope KKIA refurbishment is “sufficient” to steal just half the limelight of Kenya’s big new JKIA expansion.
Kenyans envision 20m passengers with their JKIA expansion whilst in Zambia we got no vision.. just a plain expansion.
Technology and keeping up with the global market is what makes or breaks a destination. What I don’t understand is we have the falls. The 7th wonder of the world and the biggest attraction ever and we own it. Having updated airports and good roads is what will enable us to get visitors to these locations. We need our own airline too so we can reap the rewards and tourists get to exhausted with too many transfers. These old fossils of politicians we have have no understanding of economics due to a lack of education by most. Stealing and pocketing money for development is their career. Then their children, friends and concubines are the sloe beneficiaries. Lungu needs to prove to us he’s not into corruption and make those responsible accountable.
finally this project will start, with the updated equipment hopefully more airlines which jet into Lusaka….you would be surprised what an impact the airport makes as a first point of entry