Government through the Inter-Ministerial task force on Infrastructure has applauded the progress of works on the Expansion of the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport stating that the infrastructure is steadly moving towards opening.
President Edgar Chagwa Lungu last week constituted an inter Ministerial Task Force on project implementation to inspect and ensure the speedy completion of all infrastructure projects in the country.
The Task Force comprises of Ministers of Finance, General Education, Higher Education, Local Government and the Minister of Agriculture, Ministers of Health, Home Affairs and Housing and Infrastructure Development.
Speaking yesterday morning during a tour of the Terminal 2 Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, Housing and Infrastructure Development Minister Hon. Ronald Chitotela who is the Committee Chairperson said the progress the contractor has made is a clear indication of government’s commitment and determination towards developing Zambia.
“The progress the contractor has made on the project reflects President Lungu’ commitment and determination towards developing Zambia”
He announced that 70% of the works have been done and as per the contract the project was to be handed over to government in October 2019 but will be completed 6 months ahead of schedule.
“The contractor has indicated that Yes the project was set to be completed in October 2019 but 70%of the worksworks have been done and will be completed 6months ahead of schedule”
To support the Country’s economic objectives, the Patriotic Front government under the leadership of President Edgar Lungu embarked on the expansion of Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, the Project commenced last year and is being constructed at a total cost of $360 million.
The Airport Comprises a 70 capacity modern Hotel, state of art new Terminal building with the capacity of 4 000 000 passengers. The Terminal will also have 30 transit rooms, a new Presidential stand alone Pavilion, Cargo ware houses, Fire stations, Rescue Centres, Air Traffic Control Building and Tower, Zambia Airport Headquaters, Shopping Mall and Car Parks
The Minister said the coming of this utra modern International Airport will boost the countries economy starting that International trade will be enhanced which acts a catalyst in economic growth.
Meanwhile, Hon. Chitotela announced that government has signed a momorundum of understanding for the creation of an international airport in Kasaba Bay and an airship at Luamangwe water falls of Luapula Province.
He said as government and the Ministry in charge of Infrastructure in the country they will make sure the Copperbelt Aiport comes as a full intergrated facility that will have everything that is required to service the Ministry of Transport and Communication uplifting the face of the countries transport industry.
However, Hon. Chitotela retaliated that as government they will not distructed by naysayers in taking development to all parts of this country.
“Zambia’s are seeing the development that is being rolled out country so as a government we will not be distructed”
The Chairperson stated that the task force has already started implementing the Presidents directive on ensuring all projects move and are completed on time.
He said “Ours is work work work work work work because ours is a generation of planners for today’s generation and generations to come”
Oh ma God ,we’re still crawling in Zambia in terms of travel industry.Nairobi’s JKIA and Bole int’l in Addis Ababa are already handling 8m passengers while our vision in Zed is handling just 4m?
Capacity will be 4million. Actual will be hundred thousand.
@Enka
There goes the envious and jealous UPND crooks, stop lying bwana, 4 million Airport capacity is not a mean thing and that in itself does not mean the Airport cannot be expanded for growth in the near future. By the way, the new KKI Airport once completed will be one the most modern Airport in Africa and only second to Oliver Tambo in South Africa. Stop lying the Nairobi’s JKIA and Bole int’l in Addis Ababa are not Airports you can even talk about. It simply shows how backwards you chaps in UPND or you havent traveled world wide.
Tulesonta again, muzalila ba UPND in 2021 with your late Ichilema.
“a new Presidential stand alone Pavilion”?? Specially for Vasco de Lungu??
So the Thief in Chief now has his own airport just for one man – himself!!!
Zambian Taxpayers must say enough is enough of this nonsense!
It appears people want government to fail. Whatever progress or failure by the current government has impact on all of us. Even the incoming government would not be happy to inherit ruins. Let’s all criticize failure and support progressive development. We’re not enemies. ..just like football you shake hands at the end of the game regardless of the result.
@Enka, do you even know the populations of Ethiopia or Kenya? Let me tell you, Ethiopia stands at more than 105 million and Kenya at more than 47 million. So you can understand why they need to build bigger airports in those two Countries in line with the size of their populations. Zambia also needs to build in accordance with it’s population size and the size of it’s economy.
I see no reason why you would want to build an 8 million capacity airport in a Country with only 15 million people and without an airline of it’s own. If ever you have flown Ethiopian Airline before, I am sure it is the same with the Kenyan Airline, you will find that flights are always packed with Ethiopians to and from the diaspora. So these two Countries have the population to at least support such big…
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…. facilities complimented by a robust tourism industry. By the way, I have flown through Bole International, it is not as impressive as you want to make it sound.
So Zambia with a four million capacity ultra modern airport is a very good start indeed. If the need arises latte on in the future, we can always expand. Why should we be spending above our capacity and is necessary for now? Is it just for show off?
@Yamba Yamba, I’ve used Ethiopian Airlines from Zambia via Addis to Washington. One that strikes me is the large number of Ethiopians on each flight. Just wonder how they manage to afford it let alone how they manage USA visas.
Ethiopia is an 80 million strong country, meaning the middle class is around 20 million people. They also have a large diaspora population, thanks to famine and civil wars.
@1.8 Indeed research is the mother of solutions. People should not just take the smoke and leave fire behind for smoke won’t start another fire. Mangoes and oranges are both fruit but they don’t grow on the same tree.
@Enka, the population of Ethiopia is about 90-100 million while Kenya it is about 60 million. You surely expect the airports to handle the same number of people??? Think before you comment. Most of you have stopped thinking because you are blinded by political affiliations. Even in the USA an airport in New York e.g JFK doesn’t handle the same number of passage let’s say the same as O’Hare in Chicago.
All you dunderheads – Doha ,Qatar population 1.5m and airport passengers =37m,
Stockholm Sweden population 980k and airport pass = 27m,
Oslo Norway population 680k and airport passengers = 27m,
Taipei population 2.7m and Taipei airport passengers =44m.
High airport passenger numbers have nothing to do with a country’s bigger population its more about a nation’s good economics and the city’s int’l connectivity into the global economy.FYI the Lagos airport handles only 7m -8m passengers while Lagos city population is about 20m people.
#Enka, please leave us alone or just become a Swede, Qatari or something like that.
@Enka, it is you who is a dunderhead. How do you compare countries in Europe and Middle East to African countries?? The dynamics are very different. Qatar and U.A.E and the European countries for example have a lot of transiting through their airports because they have National Airlines and of course good airports and hotels.
This airport on the busiest day lands 10 planes….
We may still have a capacity much less than 4 million. Hence 4 million should be fine as other terminals could be built should the need arise.
Yes @obatala, and the genius @Enka thinks building an 8 million capacity airport with that kind of air traffic is economically prudent and smart.
He even has the audacity to compare some Countries with OIL MONEY to burn to struggling Zambia. Something that only makes sense to him and his ilk. And Countries like Norway or Sweden may be small in population size, but their economies (tourism included) are miles ahead of where Zambia is today. So they can afford to spend more on their airports. Whereas Zambia has neither the population nor the economy to justify extravagant spending beyond what is necessary or needed. The economics of such a huge facility just aren’t there at the moment.
Critisizing for the sake of it is really just silly. And this is the sort of “opposition” we…
Zambia has no strategic thinkers, what do you expect when they think to steal through Ubomba Mwibala?? Be assured that these projects are over costed. No ways would Zambian KKIA compete with JKIA.. our country is finished. We have bakoswe everywhere.
Poor Zambia our KKIA capacity = 4m , but actual passenger numbers for 2012 was just 787,000 and i doubt they’ve gone much beyond 1m in 2018.
@Mzambia wa Zamani
And at the same time you and Ichilema of yours are against the reintroduction of Zambia Airways and yet you expect a billion influx of passengers, what a shame imwe ba UPND. Dose it mean that everyone in UPND is a dunderhead? Sometimes what you comment on really beats common logic.
Anyway what do you expect when a club is headed by an Under 5?
@ 2 Mzambian wa… if 2012 we had 787,000 what is was the figure last year, 5 years later?? An Airport is costly investment so even if it will take 20 years to reach 4 million travelers, it is ok, it will demonstrate that we need to plan for a longer time horizon! So what number did you expect them to plan for?? You wanted them to invest for 1 million travelers when there is potential to grow to even 5 million in 10 years?? Let us question other things about this airport like: IS QUALITY OF INFRASTRUCTURE OK, is PRICE OK FOR THE SIZE AND QUALITY OF INFRASTRUCTURE????
Thats for all of Zambia , airports and road crossings not just Lusaka
I don’t get it.
We have done what we can to upgrade KKIA.
So chamubaba should migrate to Addis or Nairobi.
What level of backward reasoning is it that is demanding that the PF govt should upgrade the population as well so that it is equal to Addis and Nairobi?
Stop embarrassing yourselves tu UPND.
You don’t upgrade the population you kachasu id1ot, you upgrade Zambian tourism and economic growth to get the KKIA numbers swell. Sweden,Norway and UAE are examples.
Having an Airline will not make Zambia have more Visitors. We need to make Zambia a Compelling Destination for Tourists. Upgrading the Airport though is a good step forward.
Everything is political and everyone is UPND member to these dunderheads. That’s why Zambia will never grow cuz KKIA is being upgraded just to make UPND members bitter.
r u sure bwana minister….
the Minister said the coming of this utra modern International Airport will boost the countries economy starting that International trade will be enhanced which acts a catalyst in economic growth.
zambia to be an economic power house
kikikikiki really laughable
This project needs to complete fast so that they hire their own companies to do the cleaning, catering, etc. You think this is for Zambians? We’re a joke country with a joke economy!
Zambians let us be positive about our country’s efforts towards development.
We are not the poorest nor the least developed Country when compared to most African Countries. When you visit some of the countries on the continent, you will appreciate the effort we are making fellow Country citizens.
KK is the greatest president Zambia has ever had;
Everything else is welcome but a shopping mall at the airport is a bad business decision. This will bring unnecessary traffic and inconvenience passengers. Our road network is not big enough to accommodate shoppers and passengers. Let’s be practical. If you want to transform KKIA into a hub to and from Africa, move the mall somewhere else please. Only have small shops at the airport for passengers to buy a few necessities.
Chipimo 2021.
Simple business logic friend..remember there will be a long stay hotel and a transit one and people may need to people little conveniences, a shopping mall will provide a chain of affordable shops from which one can get something. I was once at O.R Tambo and my suitcase was heavy, the guy at the check in counter said get an Igwee bag and distribute your language that way you will not be charged excess. Because CNA is right inside OR Tambo I got one and I was set. Imagine a situation at KKIA, you wont find such…you dommed
Grow up guys! For once let’s concentrate on issues don’t know HH and upnd got to do with this. Well done government.
Well said.
Ba Yambayamba, how many zambians fly in planes? I rest my case!
Your grandfather teejay flies on a broom but there many Zambians who fly by planes.
I am not even sure what your question means @teejay. I rest my case!
I agree with you #Lobyolo about the mall thing & traffic. The idea sounds good on paper but not in practice. No one wants to be caught in bad traffic while going to catch a plane. There’s mean wood near bye, let them take the mall there.
The idea of a mall is like the bad idea of AVIC building a hotel on the Ndola Kitwe high way. The AVIC hotel will just be used by the very Chinese for drug trafficking. For who likes a hotel close to a noisy highway with cars going at 100Kmh?
Things can only get better in Zambia.
Those political dinosaurs wanting to shoot down everything government does are wasting their time.
The airport is NOT for PF.
It is for all Zambians including those impostors who fly out occasionally to denounce the motherland.
The KKIA will be operational in 2019 ahead of schedcule.
Please,let us move to the next project for discussion.
To close the day. …why should a Zambian laughing and mock at his countries shortcomings?
Shetani temunobe
@9.1 Aristite. Your simple logic has failed you my pal. There’s no shopping mall at ORT as you seem to allude to. Those are just some small convinient shops that don’t stretch beyond 20 square metres compared with what you see in shopping malls such as Mall of Africa or Manda Hill. What you see at ORT are convinient shops holding necessities required by travellers (including travel bags like you said) and short term stay passengers or guests. You will not set e.g big Pick N Pay shops selling veggies and kandolo or big furniture shops. That is why I mentioned what is required are small shops holding necessities. Otherwise, you will have the whole of Ndeke, Avondale, Chazanga and Cheltone going to do shopping at the airport. Do you think there’s logic in having that kind of set up at the…
… Do you think there’s logic in having that kind of set up at the airport? If by shopping mall the reporter meant to say various small convinient shops, then I totally support the business plan.
Chipimo 2021.
HaJealousy, tapali his!
The hard-working government slowly transforming Zambia into a developed nation while “the tribes” are at it!
HaJealousy HaJayJay HaEnka! Tribes!
It’s not the airport that will attract passengers. You need to have other things in place, first of all, that attract greater numbers – that subsequently necessitate expansion of an airport. If you haven’t marketed your tourism or have viable investment prospects, your airport becomes a white elephant. Don’t forget the airport itself needs to be sustained by passenger numbers and visitors. I am not merely being critical, but could someone explain what has necessitated the expansion, rather than modernisation of the airport and facilities? Is it lets expand and expect numbers or is it, because of growing numbers and traffic now expand the airport?
Modernization sometimes requires building completely new facilities than trying to prop up old ones. This is what is happening at KKIA. In fact the old terminal is not being demolished. It will stay and will be used for local flights. The new terminal will be for international fights, and of course the other facilities will be a welcome addition to the modernised airport. A yes, Zambia’s economy and air traffic have changed (grown) to justify such improvements and growth to our airports….but of course such expansion has to be proportion in size…. that’s what is going on here!