Road Development Agency (RDA) has signed a US$492.5 million contract with China Henan to construct and rehabilitate 406km of urban roads on the Copper belt.
RDA Managing Director Kanyika Mumba disclosed this at a media briefing in Lusaka today.Mr Mumba said the project dubbed Copper belt C400 will see the reconstruction and upgrading to bituminous standard urban roads in Luanshya, Kalulushi, Chambishi, Kitwe, Chingola, Mufulira, Ndola and Chililabombwe.
He said RDA will conclude financing arrangements from China within six months after the signing of the contract.
Mr Mumba further stated that the scope of works will include the design, construction and completion of urban roads to bituminous standard, junction design, and construction of walkways, drainage, street lighting and relocation of services and also resettling action plan for affected areas.
He said once completed, the improved road network will ease the movement of people, goods and services and improve intercity connectivity, lower congestion and the cost of doing business.
Mr Mumba however urged the construction company to ensure that it complies with the specification of the contract and desist from sub -standard works.
He expressed happiness with the progress on the L 400 road project in Lusaka which has reached 40 %.Government has since 2011 embarked on improving the road network across the country.
What about the local contractor.eg Gomes haulage and other,only chinese
Where is this money coming from? This is a lot of money for these roads. Something fish happening here? Stealing, these selfish pricks are real thieves.
What about the local contractor.eg Gomes haulage and other,only chinese ?
Thats half billion to one foreign Chinese company leaving the country and you wonder why you dont have forex? Only Zambia.
This is one of the reasons we need to decentralise or devolve power. We cant have everything including road development bein planned and implemented from Lusaka.
An RDA engineer sitting in an air conditioned office does not know what people in Mongu, Luwingu, Msoro, Kaputa, etc need and besides he has his own priorities.
There is need to give provinces and districts more autonomy to run things than always run to Lusaka. Its the only way we see real development go to the people
Spot on General
US$492.5 million to the Chinese government and you dullards hope the Kwacha will ever appreciate?
Who ever lacks wisdom, let him ask from God. How can the entire contract value of $0.5 billion with a project being implemented in the copperbelt leave the country? Who is going to be employed on this project? Do you know the cost components involved in implementing projects?
Best post so far! Just shows you the level of thinking of some bloggers on here. They think making a road is just pouring bitumen on the ground.
Govt should lead by example by not quoting and signing contracts in dollars-no consistency! The price also raises eyebrows; more than US$1 million per km.
To start with, this is a welcome move, it is always nice to improve roads in our townships so that our 2nd hand cars dnt get battered left right and centre. But immediately my thoughts go to the prioritisation of our projects……one would think this money should have been spent on upgrading the great north road to dual carriage way up to kapiri and the repairing of the Chinsali Nakonde stretch. Or could have been used on the upgrading on Kafue to Chirundu into dual carriage way, or indeed on the Chingola Kasumbalesa stretch into Dual Carriage way. I believe these are more economically viable in the short term and would bring so much revenue to govt in terms of tolling.
Or maybe these roads I have just mentioned are already earmarked for PPP as mentioned by the president last friday,…
CONT’D…….. if so, then RDA is perfectly in order to rehabilitate the CB400. Just last week, Hon. Kambwili said all the best minds in this country, both in education and experience, are working in government. And of which I agree with him, and if so, I believe RDA and NRFA equally has very good engineers and financing experts and am sure they have considered all these things I have mentioned above. We shall keep our fingers crossed and we hope all this is in the interest of the country, both in the long and short terms.
More than $1 million per kilometer. Can someone (EL supporters including the proven failure himself EL):
1. Where is this money coming from?
2. How exactly is this money going to be paid back? when we have declining revenues
3. What are the terms and conditions in this agreement and why is a chinese firm given the award
EL THIS IS THE REASON WHY YOU SHOULD RETIRE YOURSELF IN NATIONAL INTEREST. WHY CAN’T THIS MONEY BE PUT INTO ZESCO RATHER THAN ROADS?
2016 WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT WE SHALL RETIRE YOU AND YOU HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR ALL THIS NONSENSE