The newly tarred Luangwa D145 main road connecting the District to the Great Road has developed serious cracks posing a threat that the District might be cut off from the rest of the country and also posing a danger to motorists.
Luangwa District council Chairman, Austin Bota and some members of the District Joint Security Committee who visited the damaged portion which is about 5KM from the Great East Road on the D145 Luangwa main road in Mankhokwe ward this afternoon where surprised at the damage done on the road which has left only one lane passable.
Mr Bota could not believe the damage done on the road fearing that the District might be cut off from the Great East road.
He appealed to the Roads Development Agency (RDA) to quickly come and access the damage and the cause, as what has caused the cracking and making the road to bulge cannot be explained.
The Council Chairman further expressed concern that the damage which seem to be expanding to the other lane that the District might be cut off from the rest of the country and this might affect the provision of service delivery to the area.
One motorist with a Dangote truck carrying cement to the Boma 79Km from the Great road had to turn back for fear of adding more damage to the road.
The cracks which started very small in the early hours of today had developed to big cracks by noon and there is fear that they will extend to the remaining lane.
Locals living near the affected area told the Council Chairman that the cracks which were noticed after heavy rains which hit the area are expanding almost every hour and also expressed concern at the falling rocks from a hill near the road which have rolled on the road.
Meanwhile Luangwa Police Officer In – Charge, Assistant Superintendent, Muleta Mataa has called on police officers at Luangwa Bridge and Chitope to monitor the spot and guide motorists to avoid accidents.
And RDA director -communications and corporate affairs Loyce Saili has confirmed to ZNBC news that the agency has dispatched a team of engineers to access the damage .
Mrs. Saili says the damaged has been occasioned at approximately 4 kilometers from the junction of Great East road.
The agency has advised road users travelling to and from Feira not to use the road as their safety cannot be guaranteed because the structural integrity of the road has been compromised.
Mrs. Saili says the agency has instructed the contractor China Geo to mobilise to site to help in remedy the situation.
The agency will be able to give a comprehensive statement on the extent of the damage to the road today and the possible intervention required to fix the damaged section.
This is the result of the unprecedented high levels of embezzlement of Euro bond money. The spineless government can’t even take the contractor to task because they were also corrupted and chewed the money together with RDA. This is bad for the ruling party. You are forewarned the rains will continue exposing your corrupt acts and His Excellency ECL will fire the whole lot of corrupt ministers. This is shameful for our party. People are losing confidence in our ability to fight corruption. At this rate we shouldn’t be surprised if we lose 2021 elections.
Just look at how thin that road is. It’s unbelievable. Pathetic. Can the entire government fail to find the briefcase contractor who stole this money?
RDA is to blame this is the same corruption same story with the Batoka Road which got ripped up by rains. The same heavy rains have filled up Lake Kariba and more corruption is about to be exposed.
Kikikikiki these PF roads are like premature ejaculations. When just start to feel good, damages occurs.
Zambian are now paying the REAL price of having the RDA run from Satas bedroom!
They will still be paying back the kaloba long after the roads have collapsed completely.
Army worms are eating pf roads.
Bangwe naville reporting deadNBC news luangwa-feira.
Don’t worry about it! Visionless Lungu & PF bandits will on Friday call for a holiday to have national prayers at Gabon disaster stadium. After that, the 2 milimetre thickness road will be mended miraculously.
Euro kaloba has gone into the drainages, thanks to visionless Edgar & PF bandits.
The Skeleton Key
~206~
Kudos,
no one will be fired all top people in PF including the president have a hand in this too.
The council chairman said “what’s causing the damage cannot be explained”. I think its WITCHRAFT. Period!
@Kudos – do you now believe that your favourite party stole $9.2 billion over 6 years and they have nothing to show for it? That the so-called “massive infrastructure developments” were just a fraud? ZR and Tazara are a total disaster. Powercuts continue. The Kitwe-Chingola dual carriageway is incomplete. Solwezi-Chingola Road has to be taken over by FQM. Maamba Power Station has not been connected to the national grid. Kafue Lower was cancelled and then relaunched 5 years later. KKIA expansion started in 2011 had not been completed. All the compound roads will be washed away within 2 rain seasons. So where did the Eurobonds go? How can Lungu and PF not be held accountable for this mess?
We possibly could export this local invention and make some money:
Save tar, gravel and all the other stuff. Just PAINT THE SURFACE!
Cage the bustards involved in this scandalous road project. Just look at the thickness/layer of the tar, Could such a road had lasted?
This looks like an act of God. Road is bursting and not collapsing. Wsit for investigations to finish before blaming the contractor. Contractors just follow designs and are closely supervised by consultants and clients. If the design is poor there is nothing a contractor can do to improve it. Problem is everything is political to some people. Engineering is a difficult subject compared to politicks. Let technical people investigate and tell us shat went wrong.
These are real photos not photo-shopped pictures!
Are critics from PF still going to accuse Lusaka Times of twisting facts even in the face of pictorial evidence.
Even with such overwhelming evidence some chaps will still support PF on “Ama Roads!
Some people are real plonkers!
Cause of damage is mostly due to poor workmanship & less attributable to heavy rains!
Did the heavy rains only fall at that spot or the whole Luangwa? If the whole Luangwa then why damage at just that spot? Rains can only damage roads that have no drainage system making the road waterlogged!
That spot is not submerged so how did rains damage it other than improper compaction of the underlying gravel that is bulging?
Let PF Stewards swallow their pride and admit their massive embezzlement of road funds & total failure in road construction.
PF governance is a disaster!
PF should never have been in government had it not been miscarriage of democracy that delivered it into power.
These are Michael Sata roads. Ask those of us who lived in Kabwata in the 80s. His roads last for 1 rainy season only because all the money goes into his pocket. Don’t kubeba plus dununa reverse equals total disaster(kambwili stadium).
@Kudos
What a sham…you even have the audscity to call for investigations and sackings..this is an a systemic failure from top to bottom. This is were commision of inquiry are created but we know State House has a hand in this…you are the selfsame people who were supporting this rot which is worse than MMD.
SONTA epo waiba, there you go God is pointing for you. Next Kariba will SONTA epo wa bepele when it fills up and we still have load shedding. Never blame God almighty for your sin. Wait more rain is coming.
At this rate of corruption, it will take Zambia 1,213 years to develop to meaningful levels. Go to Katete and look at the township roads that have been done, you will be shocked! A local contractor, Nakangea (Nakangiwa) was engaged and he is not even ashamed of what he has done to his own country! The guys are untouchable because their contract was done at State House. Shame!
This is damn shameful…total stealing!!! For sure, just have a closer look at this layer of tar!!!!!!! Oh my goodness!!! Despite being a PF supporter; am disgusted by this!!!!
Lazy will say this is the work of Satan, lets all call a day of intensive national prayers!!
Super glue that sh*t!
*****!!!
Bad workmanship by Chinese contractors.
Cheap Chinese contractor.
Kudos sonta epowanyela.
It really pains me to see such appaulling workmanship..is this the sontapo you fooools were singing about, stealing from your own children without shame. That road looks like a cheap carpet as it has no sub bases…i know the Chines they give you what you want…if you want knock offs they give up at cheap price..if you orginal they will give you at competitive prices. These are the resold contracts…please some tell us the final cost of that road?
Chinese will give you the value for the money you pay them. If you tell your children ‘I have spent 10,000 ZMW on food stocks this month and then they sleep hungry for two weeks in that month you can not blame the food stores where you bought the food but rather the person who said he spent that kind of money for less food.
PLO Lumumba will tell you in his YouTube videos who the real enemy for Africa is. Ourselves. We choose to hire ‘hyenas’ to guard our ‘Goats’ and when our goats are eaten we wonder who might have eaten our ‘goats’.
Kasongo Wabaluba
This Chinese company has a lot of major contracts around Africa like in Mozambique, Ghana etc on going projects in Zambia…I remember this China Geo Engineering was owed over K 1 billion in delayed payments by the MMD regime in 2007. The only problem we have in Zambia is delayed payments coupled with a lot of political interference, this project is a similar example it was delayed then when there was by elections in the area the govt must have made the payments then rushed the contractor for a photo opportunity; Sata was rushed to the area though sick to commission this road…this is why Global Construction firms do not come to Zambia add lack of good governance and corruption to the list….it can damage your reputation. Imagine if this was a British company the press…
…was a British company the press in England would have a field day and stock price would plummet. In China such news wouldn’t bother them as they consider you are sub-human who dont care even if you eat feces…we have no standards and would steal from our own children.
Don’t blame the contractors, blame the supervising organisation which is RDA.
We said this pfools are here to steal.
Classic ‘ sonta’.
I see drainages on the side of this pf road, come on guys the rains we currently experiencing can’t cause such excessive damage like we just had a 8.9 on a Richter scale earth quake.
Don’t expect anything good from a pf infested RDA, since pf came to power it has been under cadres Willie nsanda was chairman now, we have another pf cadre as chairman Samuel mukupa, these roads courtesy of state house thats the RDA headquarters at the moment.
Who is eating roads now!!!
How can that road pass completion? Utter shambles…they are stealing…$1 million per kilometer and you say because of the rain utter nonsense…in England rain falls every month and you will never see this and roads dont cost that amount.
correction this road cost about $2million per kilometer!!
Don’t blame the contractor. It’s the government who choses the road from about five options that the contractor gives. The Zambian government always the worst road because of bukandile yet they put it at the quote of the best road. It’s no wonder Zambia cannot get contractors from RSA who don’t want to compromise their brands. It’s always Chinese upon Chinese! I pray that they won’t do the same to Kariba Dam wall
UPND cadres are very happy that the people of Luangwa and feira will go back to the difficulties they used to experience when travelling to Lusaka or Luangwa. Please people of Luangwa and Feira don’t vote for these people who want to ride on your unhappiness to go to statehouse
Shu shu shu, it’s not about the UPND it’s about doing things right am PF and am not happy. Such things are happening to expose the bad eggs in PF government. must we blame UPND who are not in control of awarding contracts. Let’s not support stealing and this is not a PF road but a national property. And we are answerable to this rubbish works. It’s shameful and disappointing. We can’t be making headlines in bad things. Who doesn’t know about heavy rains. That won’t be a reason .please bring them to courts unlike waiting for another party to come into power to come bring them to book . It’s a no no no to such no sense.
Be responsible and accountable. You stole from Zambians and now you blame people who are exposing your thieving culture. Don’t you have any shame!
@ Shu shu shu your sin shall find you out, lies have short legs, the chickens have come to roost, we told you etc etc etc Too many examples holla if you need more. Do you need a child to come and tell you the emporer is naked? Do you not have eyes? Mwapia we will see when the Kariba gets full you will focus on accusing UPND of urinating to fill the Kariba but fail to explain why we will still have load shedding then. Tell me brother is RDA still at statehouse? Is it in the statehouse kitchen or bedroom or lounge? Insulting others wont fix the road or stop load shedding. Play the ball not the man.
Don’t vote upnd ba shu shu shu at your own peril. Mukafwa nabwinina imwe ba guy.
If it was a local contractor all ministers will stand up and talk rubbish about why they don’t give local contractors jobs. Can one minister come up and tell us who the contractor is. Who gave him the contract? How long was the life period for the road. How many years have passed since it was made. How they were paid. Who was inspecting the roads and organisations if not RDA. Which government officials were part of the giving the contract to the same company. Which official was visiting the site and in what capacity? Busy stealing money and in return they are busy making us pay taxes that are above our reach.
I know the Contractor. It is China- Geo.
Its time that “guarantee clauses” are invoked.RDA used to have a credible corporate affairs director he would querry such things instead he was fired but look at the results money literary stolen
This has nothing to do with corporate affairs director. This is Engineering bwana. Preliminary investigations have shown that there were earth movements in that particular area. The contractor will work on the damaged portion. Please don’t politicize everything and if you leave an institution please move on and have a life!
@buffalo stop lying through your teeth. Any earth movement causing that much damage could have been recorded or felt elsewhere. I know that area very well. Water drains down from the hill onto the road. The drainage was poorly done and allowed water to sip under the very thin road surface. You have been exposed.
Corporate Affairs Director is not an engineer by profession you nitwit, don’t show your ignorance here.
PF incompetency and corruption at its best. Was’t this road done just a few months ago? If you look at the level of damage, it is unprecedented that colossal amounts of US dollars were paid for such a substandard workmanship. Scrutinize who gave the contract for this road and you won’t be surprised that state house is involved. How do you take the whole road construction project and supervise it from state house? Totally unheard off and we are seating idle lest people die on this precarious shame of a road. Its high time reorganization took place at RDC and some people fired for gross incompetence and utter negligence.
Imagine if these were the types of roads which were constructed in UNIP era is the country going to survive.Cheap things are always expensive and Zambians are quite over such wastage of taxes payers money in the name of elections.
Anyway nangu ichipuba ni chesu.
The price of tribalism has started bearing fruits Sonta empowabavomba.
RDA is now based at state house so can state house respond as the level of destruction on all the roads done are pathetic.
All of you commenters shame on you………so you can n`t see or think what could have caused that kind of damage.All you know is to quickly accuse the Government and the contractor of having chewed the money.Look at the geographical location of the area in question and try to think what might have caused that kind of damage before you open your mouths.Read geography on rock movements and rain perhaps you will understand!!
You must be pathetic. Are you not aware that this road a barely a few months and has suffered that kind of damage? Have you ever heard of road engineering? When roads are being made, engineers assess the terrain, study the soils, and climatic conditions before deciding on the type of road to construct. But these roads were built out of corruption; no consideration was given to the terrain, climate and other aspects. In your right mind, is it feasible for a road to be damaged a few months after construction? And just check the layer of the gravel; it is so thin. This road was compromised and corruption was at play. The PF government must be very embarrassed because they boasted of the unprecedented developments but look at the outcome. Are these the roads one can boast about? The truth is…
Heptor. This is not the first road ever built in this area. Our concern is, less than a year after construction it is damaged to this extent. Road constuctors do soil sampling to know the specs. Our concern is IF the RDA( to be read ad State house) ignored the advice thru commission or and ommission, then they are at fault. Now who is going to whip the RDA? This then leaves the owners of the money who are you, me and the millions of zambians.including tha barefooted man in the remote village. To sum up, shame on us sir.
@Heptor PFhief – there’s nothing impossible with proper supervision and planning. However, the PF thieves are incapable of these two things. Is this what we can expect from PF roads, including the road to Chirundu which is one of our national getways to the south? Don’t blame the terrain; blame the PF “engineers”.
It has not been damaged by rains. It has been damaged by cowboy builders.
With probably no reputation anywhere
Thanks
BB2014,16
Lets call a spade a spade on this one . This is just substandard work done by jumped up PF di*k heads sh*t who have pocketed bus loads of hard earned tax payers cash . Politics without responsibility is the result and can lead to this crap.That is why the Uganda guy entered the IT protected zone so that they could carry on stealing.
Earth movements are common everywhere , it’s neither the Contractor nor the Government / RDA. If you doubt, travel on Adisababa drive or go to UNZA and see how roots have damaged the road , those are part of earth movements. Also, on Chirundu – Siavonga road , there are lots of landslides and rock falls.
This is typical of Africans. Don’t take ownership of problems but take credits for any success. The road between the High Court and Addis roundabout can easily be sorted out by uprooting all those trees and redoing the road. However, residents may prefer the trees to a prefect road over such a short span of road. This Luangwa-Feira disaster is a clear failure in design and construction. No excuses. Any foool should have seen that coming.
Amuna Onzuna
Do you know the role of a thick sub base under a road its like a foundation a properly constructed road has four or three of these with sands/soils of variable densities to absorb loads from above or below…look carefully at the subbase of that road it has the same soil as in the surrounding area meaning the contractor Geo-China simply spray bitumen on top of compacted soil. Roads that fail due to earth movements have cracks on flat roads unless there was an earthquake in Luangwa last week.
Rains do not do that do roads, this was lousy cheap workmanship. I want my Euro Bonds back, pronto.
@ Hamulenga Siakapwepwe, “I want my Euro Bonds back, pronto.”
Sorry for that. Your Euro Bonds are safely in overseas bank accounts of PF politicians, of which LUNGU HIMSELF has openly admitted he has 23 MILLION and is not even ashamed to say so publically!
What is remaining for YOU is a lifetime of DEBT that you (and even your children!) will have to pay back WITH INTEREST that will surely be more than DOUBLE the amount that was originally borrowed.
Now just shut up and go and wallow in poverty for the rest of your miserable life. While those PF thieves enjoy five star luxury lifestyles and laugh at you!
Bloggers, Bloggers- Lets analyse the situation. Look at what could caused the rocks falling from the Hill. As for me, it appears there was some shake up to the earth`s bed and that area could have been the weakest point. So, its Natural Catastrophe at a very low grade. I know most of us don`t like PF and Lungu as it`s leader but sometimes its better to be Objective.
This is not a natural catastrophe. This is poor engineering. What has happened to the road is the earth heaving upwards. The substrata under the road was not compacted and reinforced. I can guess that they used loose soil as a foundation and this is now accumulating water and expanding upwards. It is not about rocks falling on the road.
“…accumulating water and expanding upwards..”
Uuuko!!!
Really!!!!
The loan that paid for this road as with all PF projects is still accumulating interest and your children are debt ridden before they are born, that will make them colonized under the new regime of capitalist China as slaves, back to where Zambia was 50 years ago, thanks PF, you have rolled back 50 years in 5 years.
I just read article written by a Harvard Medical School and the University of California Professors who stated they believe Trump shows all the signs of “malignant narcissism” – which is clinically defined as a combination of narcissism, anti-social personality disorder, aggression and sadism. They based their assessments from Trump’s widely reported symptoms of mental instability – including grandiosity, impulsivity, hypersensitivity to slights or criticism, and an apparent inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality. But perhaps the best authority might be the American Psychiatry Association – which has over the years developed a nine-point checklist for narcissism. If someone displays just FIVE of these traits they are defined as having Narcissistic Personality Disorder:
1…
1.Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognised as superior without commensurate achievements)
2.Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
3.Believes that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
4.Requires excessive admiration
5.Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favourable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
@ Questionnaire,when last did this part of the country experience this kind of rain fall and How old is this road anyway?I guess the contractor did all their engineering home work…….except nature will always win.Even if that road was done to perfection natural causes would have damaged it looking at the extent of the earth movement.
Mind you that part of terran is the most difficult to do a road job,thus mountain and river areas combined.Anything can happen any time dear,even with your best engineering.
Typical PF excuses and not accepting responsibility for incompetence.
I totally disagree with you. You can blame the damage on nature if you have chosen not to be rational. When building roads a number of factors are taken into account and in this case, the construction was done expediently in order to win votes. Every aspect of road construction was disregarded. Just check the layer of the gravel and the type of soil under the gravel. There was no proper compacting. The road was cheaply done and now we are seeing corruption being exposed. Its a shame for us to be allowing such things to happen when so much tax payers money is going to waste through dubious contracts. This is borrowed money by the way and already we’ve started repairing roads that are less than 10 months old. What a shame!
6.Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
7.Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognise or identify with the feelings and needs of others
8.Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
9.Shows arrogant, haughty behaviours or attitudes.
With Michael Chilufwa Mulenga Zondwa Satan and his wayward nemesis Chimbwili Kashimba, you can literally tick every box, ubulwele bwa tulukobo over over.
It’s sonta sonta sontapo. At $1 million per Km sonta sonta sontapo iwe.
You will find most of the contractors are non existent entities where the company was a temporal arrangement.
Lungu, call for prayers and play some music , sonta dununa reverse……..
The contractor is CHINA GEO. the road had two pavement layers , sub base and base course all 150mm thick , then a double seal was used. The contract price was US$210MILLION , Total distance 80km sinle carriageway two lanes. The supervising Engineer on behalf of RDA was BICON Zambia ltd the boss is Mr mushinge and Anthony SIMUKANZE, From the pictures, the cause of damage is in adequate compaction leading to spot protrusion due to chemical reaction with the soil after moisture percolated. Remedy reap and fix, cost goes to RDA , the contractors defects liability period is OVER , any more data you want?????
$2.6m per km and the foundation of the road was not compacted properly! This is straightforward theft.
You are spot on with your assessment…sections of this road will have to be properly relayed with required sub bases with drainage..completely building a new road again not the paint job in the photo.
You see why some of us, we don’t want to leave the ICC things like this.
I’m sure some people saw this, and we’re afraid to say anything because they knew the reactions of our leaders.
We might not have a grade twelve certificate and protected by the constitution, but we are aware more than you think.
But having the best education the country can offer, protected by the courts, the Constitution and having the bodyguard that when you are visiting your fellow citizen you instill fear in them, and then you pump the fist to show your strength and then this happening under your nose. (Road construction)
If it was in Malawi investigations would be have started for even a $26m contract but in Zambia a $260m contract…the issue will simply disappear like a fart in the wind. Remember 2013 is when this road was tendered..the same year the EUROBOND was issued by that boy Miles Sampa for his uncle…everyone of us is going to pay for this rubbish, China Geo is back home laughing at our stupidity stealing from ourselves.
Low energy Zambians… don’t blame the rain for damaging the road. It’s the corruption at its best and it’s is deeply rooted in African blood stream. Look at the road construction before the blacktop, what is underneath it?? Just loose red soil! Does it mean engenneres never saw this??
Thin like a BISCUIT. Kikikiki!!! And we’ll paying for this road for the next 40 LONG YEARS. Today Govt has introduced K30/month tax on all bank accounts in order to pay for shoddy BISCUIT roads which they alone benefited from. PF00Lish Regime are a disappointment.
They concentrated on Chinese funded road contracts becoz it’s easy for them to STEAL through bribes.
Sacks of cash worth millions of dollars, pounds, Kwacha were found in ceiling, mattresses, pillows, trunks of RDA Chairman Willie Nsanda’s house after he died.
All that cash and he still kicked the bucket line a dog! Vanity of vanities.
FIRSTLY, IT MUST BE CLARIFIED THAT P.F CADRE KUDOS IS A BRAINLESS NEWT!!
It must also be clarified that Black Africans, especially Zambians are allergic to good living / standards, SO ENJOY DUNUNA REVERSE!!
@Kudos is a twit who is slowly rising from his slumber. He is waking up to the reality that his party is full of thieves.
@Keleni tasa atushe
They are also like a husband who watches his wife and daughter being rap!ed while he relaxes on a sofa sipping a beer and enjoying the show.
They are likened to a husband who grabs the monthly budgeted money from the wife to go and entertain side chicks forgetting about what lays ahead…the chickens are coming home to roost. This is why I love construction you can never lie with a cowboy builder and a corrupt govt officials are soon exposed…Pyramids in Egypt are still standing for a reason.
Scandalous.
Blaming the Chinese contractors when we have(had) local civil engineers supervising the works will not help at all
Ministry of works and supply, NRFA, Minstry of Transport, RTSA etc should be rounded up and explain how they let this happen…
FOR ONCE I AGREE WITH KUDOS. LET THE CONTRACT GO BACK ON SITE AT HIS COST. ALL THOSE WHO HAD A CUT, UNFORTUNATELY YALUKA BANE, PAY THE GUY BACK AND LET HIM MOVE ON SITE. BY THE WAY, HAS GOVT RECOVERED MONEY FROM THE CONTRACTOR WHO FAILED TO DO THE LANDLESS CORNER ROAD?
This is what they mean when they say “cheap is expensive”.
Moronic govt in action!
WHAT GOOD CAN COME FORM PF OR EDI GALU NGU BWE BATHU? HE TOLD YOU THAT HE HAS NO VISION. THERE ARE NO TREES NEARBY FOR SOMEONE TO THINK THAT THE ROOTS COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED. THE THICKNESS OF THE TAR WAS SO THIN THAT EVEN THE WEIGHT OF AN AVERAGE HUMAN BEING CAN BREAK THA TAR. SHAME TO PF. DAYLIGHT ROBERLY. RDA WILL SOON GET ALLOWANCES TO INSPECT THE ROAD. THE WILL GO WITH CHITOTELA. OH NO. NOW I KNOW: HH WENT TO DIG OUT THIS ROAD BECAUSE HE WANTS EDI GALU NGU TO FAIL.
People read this: These are NOT USUAL cracks due to heavy rainfall, but due to a serious geological event working its way from the Red Sea near Ethiopia down along the Great Rift Valley onto the Muchinga Escapment onto South Africa. A similar crack has appeared in South Africa running North to South. This fault is as predicted many years back that Africa would be divided into two parts, and there would be a sea between the two parts. Eastern Province and part of Muchinga/ Northern Provinces would be torn away from the rest of Zambia!
The saddest part about Zambia is that we have NOT invested heavily into science and technology. I am not talking about computers and cell-phones, but heavy sciences, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and other similar areas such as Geology, and all…
oh please..just look at how thin the road is before you try to justify that shoddy work
Continued from above ……. I am not talking about computers and cell-phones, but heavy sciences, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and other similar areas such as Geology, and all Engineering fields. We have had too many year under useless leaderships whose agenda has been to only take care of their tummies and nothing for to make Zambia better in the sciences and technology! Note: comment lifted from Zambian Eye.
People in govt and rda need to be investigated. This is corruption at the highest level.
RDA did not have a board at that period in 2013 it was Willie and Old Man Sata who had moved RDA to State House …who are you going to investigate State House? By whom ACC? I remember a very ill and thin frail Sata being rushed to this site to officially open this road …its the same people in govt today who were part of the rot with exception of the MMD ministers.
@Heptor, shallow brains always think politics! sad.
Looking at this road reminds me of a poorly laid down laminate flooring with leaving room to expand…its shambolic workmanship
These are NOT USUAL cracks due to heavy rainfall, but due to a serious geological event working its way from the Red Sea near Ethiopia down along the Great Rift Valley onto the Muchinga Escapment onto South Africa. A similar crack has appeared in South Africa running North to South. This fault is as predicted many years back that Africa would be divided into two parts, and there would be a sea between the two parts. Eastern Province and part of Muchinga/ Northern Provinces would be torn away from the rest of Zambia!
The saddest part about Zambia is that we have NOT invested heavily into science and technology. I am not talking about computers and cell-phones, but heavy sciences, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and other similar areas such as Geology, and all Engineering fields. We…
Extract from Times Of Zambia December 2014
“So, it all begun on February 13, 2013, Luangwa when there was a hive of activities when late president Michael Sata launched the construction of the Luangwa – Feira Road at a cost of K314 million.
The contract was given to China Geo Engineering Construction Company (CGC) and the scope of work to be undertaken on the road, according to resident engineer Patrick Chinyama, included the upgrading to bituminous standard of the 91 kilometre stretch, clearing the bush, drainage works, putting up of more than 300 culverts, pavements layers, cement stabilised surface and fog spray.”
So ba Chinyama together with the dead have some explaining to do coz i don’t see any ‘cement stabilised surface’ there.
Tomiboi
This is why corruption is bad …they give the brief to the contractor then they chip away to reduce payments to cream off the top. You probably delayed payment and today you say –
“Mrs. Saili says the agency has instructed the contractor China Geo to mobilise to site to help in remedy the situation.”
Who is going to pay the company to stop a project in NW province and to transport heavy machinery to Luangwa the other side of the country.
This what most people know. They only think of Corruption not all factors. Look at the road, its not cracking but being pulled up from its normal surface. suggesting that there are other forces down there which are acting in the upward direction hence manifesting as cracks and stones falling from the Hill.
A geological event would manifest in all the rocks and hillside moving, not just the road. The hillside is intact. This is substandard workmanship and engineering.
Was there an earthquake last week? The same foools would even ignorantly justify a rapists abusing their wife and daughters.
You Sontapo just sontad how dull you are my good man.
Sontapo are you sure it was not Mushala or South African spies? Or “the cartel” or Satan… Chopet
How many roads has China geo been involvex in. Identify them assess them then get idepe dent body to cost them..
Never downgrade ourselves nobody chooses skin colour but we can choose our attude to life, colour does not dictate intelligence or knowledge, we tend to la k opportunity and external exposure thars all please keleni tasa lets be proud
What is this you are typing are you sending a text message to your friend? Sadly its people like you who are ministers today promoting street vending.
So many other places in the country have been cut off by damaged roads, why isn’t the RDA sending their people? What is special with Feira?
Look at that photo and you will see the Luangwa river on the side…now imagine a bus coming from one direction at 120kph and another from behind the bend in the opposite direction. ..passengers would end up in the river and at this time of the year they end up down stream and will be happily welcomed by the crocs.
Even in the USA to be specific in California roads are being washed away due to heavy rains there! So sad to see the United Dunderheads celebrating over this misfortune but that is their nature. If its found that this is as a result of poor workmanship as oppossed to excessive rainfall then let the people responsible be held accountable.
Structural failure. Its too late to call for a geologist!
Who would you call upon sir? Whatever remedy you go with here will have to involve a geologist.
TRULY, THESE ARE NOT ROADS. THEY ARE RIP-OFFS. SO, WHO EATS THE us$700,000.00 OUT OF THE US$1,000,000.00 SINCE THE TRUE COST OF A PROPER ROAD IS ONLY US$300,000.00?
Its no use calling for people to be fired. Nkandu Luo and Mwanakatwe are still enjoying their Ministerial Posts and all emoluments that go with them. The experimental firing of Kambwili has turned out to be a mockery to all Zambians.
Zambia has no leadership let alone a President. We a busy complaining about the roads yet the whole country is shambles in every sector. Meanwhile, focus is on 2021 and withdrawal from ICC!! Are we nuts as a people?
Yes we are a nation full of foolish fools.
@ IYO KWENA, where has it gone political my dear……..it was in my opinion, and i think most broggers have said sensible things that i have picked and appreciated. @ Jay Jay, you are great, so is @ Questionnaire! Big up to you all bloggers.This has been the best sharing.
Looks like the set of 2012 or any similar disaster movie. Aside from the thinned out road providing evidence of sub standard works, it should alert those involved in building these roads to how quickly evidence of their shenanigans could prove catastrophic if this really were shifting tectonic plates upstaging them.
That thickness to the tarmac is scandalous! Looks like maybe even 2 cm! It should be investigated
Even if I am not a Roads Engineer or Engineer by qualification this is real DUNUNA REVERSE:
Like they say ” ifya kulya ubushiku,fitulikila ku malushi “.This is a very serious matter that calls for people involved to resign and probed with possible prosecution.It is a scandal!
For any such works of this nature,there are specifications.The works are then given to the contractor who executes the works according to the specifications provided,after which inspectors move in to inspect the works and pass it, if it meets the standards set according to the specifications. This is where the RDA and the ministry of works and supply come in.
Therefore questions to ask are:
(a) What were the specifications for the works?
(b) Who inspected and passed the works?
This calls for the immediate HALT TO ALL govt.projects currently going on,and carry out an authentic audit,and…
PF this cannot be hidden. Its proof positive that we have very poorly constructed roads for the money spent.
The PF road to the next general elections has also developed some serious cracks too.Zambians please avoid this road.
What is Chagwa saying about this since RDA is in his bedroom?
It is surely not rain. It is foolish builders just like the man in the bible who built without solid foundation!
Chinese things don’t last! ZNS would have done a much better job!
Terrible road construction. This road is not good enough for a homeowner’s driveway into the garage. Roads are supposed to have multiple layers of rough, medium rough, fine and a final driving surface for regular road traffic. Inspectors are supposed to drill a 100 mm diameter hole randomly to check the depth of the asphalt. If the asphalt is not deep enough no payment is made until it is fixed or no future contracts. Zambians do not do this out of ignorance. One can Google any state site in the USA to get information on road standards and inspection standards. But Zambians do not want to learn even when the information is free.
@54 This road had no asphalt specification, it was what they call chip and spray, stones or aggregates of 13mm and 9mm sprayed directly on the road that has a binder . The point is it was poorly designed and constructed broad daylight theft RDA boss must be fired oh he was already fired yaba what next now
Tarmac ukuonda kwati ni tropical olo zico.
‘Heaving” is a result of either a result of failure to use acceptable material for the base and sub – base in road construction and/or ineffective compaction of the base material. The clayey soils are expansive and should have been excavated and carted away and imported fill brought in compacted to specified levels. A diabu a pezi pezi! Mboli zamanu!
its high time RDA started embracing Geotechnical engineers in road construction. rock-mechanics plays a critical role in all earthworks…
That road has a very thin layer of tar mac. Do you zambians choose what you are buying?
Sadly most of my back in Zambia are *****s that is why the chinese and everyone else can come in piss on us.
this is how the euro bond was used, next its our toll fees to go down the drain.
Looks like witchcraft.
The roads will be fixed.
Easy does it!
Lol Dununa reverse, I fintu ni Lungu Kaili, is that not what most you *****s were singing, you have not seen sh!t yet. just wait. Very soon after Lungu is trained by Sudan Terrorist Al bashir, you people there in Zambia will not even be taking these pictures exposing useless Lungu.
Nsimanadelele you’re very frustrated person. We won’t all belong to one party . You can be UPND and am proud PF and truth be told we just a mixture of people. Examples are there to see. GBM was PF but now he is UPND the president was UPND at one time but now he is PF so why insult. We still singing the same song and we are happy . You’re still insulting and in the opposition. Mind your language . Frustrations will kill you. Be positive with good ideas and make us see your reasons than your frustration.
@Bemba man, Iwe yes you right Iam a frastrated person but also just reminding the clueless cadres that what they have done voting for clueless corrupt Lungu is why things ain’t well in Zambia. I am not affiliated with any polital party anywhere, let alone there in Zambia. Here is my story and why you are right that I am frastrated, I left Zambia years ago(moved to the USA with no corruption/political money) as there is nothing there to be proud of there, just corrupt *****s, so take it easy on me. I used to walk bare foot with magamba kuma tako when going to school after I lost my Parents died, so when I worked hard in school and got out of that sh!tty hole Zambia, everytime I come back home to visit I see the same s***ty in average citizens and one wonders why these people keep voting…
@Bemba man, … for these useless corrupt leaders. Maybe you should be ashamed of yourself for voting for Lungu. If you have children, do go and look them into their eyes (i doubt you have balls to be honest to your children) and tell them that you screwed up their future when you voted for Lungu. You are the reason why your children will continue to suffer. There I just told you truth you hate to hear.
@ Anyoko. Thanks for the technical data. I wish you can keep providing this data for every road that is reaped. You are so clear. Not just yapping. The conclusion is that it is poor workmanship by the contract and the consultants. We are have a systematic problem. We will only be able to fix it if we think and look at RDA as an organization and look beyond RDA. How professional is the work culture at RDA and what internal and external factors influence the decisions at RDA? What is been the role of statehouse in the management of these contracts by RDA?
Nsimanadelele am a proud dad i don’t depend on politics or politicians. All my five kids are at the most expensive school in zambia and when they look in my eyes they see a father whose proud of his country and they are never going to run away like you in search of a better country cause I there father have made it big time. They are all at American school paying for them by my hard working. Trump doesn’t like you just come back and stop crying. You like a child proud of his step father . I won’t insult you cause we are not on the same level. You can talk nicely to my son when you visit and he will accommodate you and give you a driver to drive you around . Please don’t be so bitter cause you killing yourself. It’s like football you win some and lose some. Such is life. Proud…
The Contractor must be penalized, revoked or probably de-registered for shoddy works and compromising road safety.