The Kazungula Bridge Project is nearing completion and expected to be handed over to the governments of Zambia and Botswana.
Works on the bilateral project between the Zambia – Botswana border have advanced to 98% completion stage with a safety record of 8 million hours free of injuries.
Meanwhile, consultations are underway to establish the Kazungula Bridge Management Authority.
Speaking when Zambia’s High Commissioner to Botswana Mr. Mwansa Kapeya inspected progression on site, co-project managers Godfrey Songeya (Zambia) and Pious Seone (Botswana) explained bilateral instruments and agreements were being formulated to operationalize the bridge after hand over to the two governments.
The Project Managers further revealed the procurement process to install fittings and furnish the One Stop Border Facilities was underway.
The duo informed the visiting Zambian envoy of the project defect liability period that will run for 2 years on the bridge – the contractor will be accountable for any defects incurred on the facility in the first 24 months of operations.
The Kazungula Bridge is a 923 meter long bilateral initiative by Zambia and Botswana at the confluence of the Zambezi and Chobe rivers.
At its completion, the hallmark facility is expected to ease trade by significantly reducing time in transit across the borders and expand access through most land-linked SADC member states.
And Mr. Kapeya says government is impressed with the quality of the on going works on the bridge. He said the Zambian government is committed in ensuring the completion of the project was achieved in the set time to promote trade and investments between the two countries.
Officially launched in 2014, the $259.3 million project is co-financed by the governments of Botswana and Zambia with support from the African Development Bank (ADB) and the Japanese International Corporation Agency (JICA).
Njebele SONTAPO EPO WAWOMBA. the other chaps will just be shouting ati bally bally ifwe we are just developing the country . Come 2021 some will cry
This is magnificent news. Let us see not comments from clowns and bitter people across the fence.
I bet you this figure of $259.3 has overrun due delays in payment by PF government
Informed citizens know whn this project started. PF didn’t start from ground zero.
Thanks to Botswana being jointly involved in the Kazungula bridge project. This has enabled Zambia benefit without poor quality of work on the project as Zambia has a poor record of moral patriotism. Botswana have high standard of patriotism and accountability where as Zambia’s management of national assets is tainted with misappropriation and corruption. Even Zambia’s share of payment was always full of stories and delays – this we read and heard from Botswana’s side. Thanks to neighbour Botswana, the in coming government will match up to expected standards.
Serial Praise singers think this project was a PF idea, hence their so called sonta slogan On the contrary the deal to build the bridge was sealed in 2007 between zambia and Botswana although construction began in 2014 The delay was due to funding arrangements from AfDB and Jica and counterpart funding from the government’s of Botswana and zambia This is indeed a project for the people of Zambia and baswana and not some political party as others would want to portray
Thanks Botswana for speaheading the project. It would have costed us the entire Zambia being owned by China for funding such a project.
Thanks Botswana for speaheading the project. It would have costed us the entire Zambia being owned by China for funding such a project. An’t we ashamed that such a magnificent project was done at a cost of $259 million.
Look at the diasporans above thanking another country cause they can’t stand to thank their own fellow zambian. This is that type of inferior complex we talk about. This is why these are chaps that would rather move to diaspora to wipe old people backside than remain in their country and work hard with pride. Now they are being killed by police there like a bunch of chickens.
In fact this bridge would hv been completed already if the PF government had been up to date with payments to contractors.
I remember when Zambia defaulted on its commitments to the contractor , the Botswana President had to step in. So shameful.
Every Zambian should thank Botswana for delivering this at a value for money price..if it was PF govt they would have contracted it via China Bank at $600million and to rub salt in the wound turn the whole thing into a toll gate charging you the motorists twice.
Hahaha haha…. Diasporan donkeys!!!! Those Tswanas you are thanking don’t even want to know you!! Baba, this is the work of the PF GRZ, even the fat cabbage Mwanawasa depended on a colonial pontoon to ship copper out through this outlet. This is PF all over it, when you say we borrowed too much, this is where the money went to-PF IS SONTING, I.D.!OTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Excellent! Well done PF.
The best way to shut up negative critics is to confound them with the truth. Truth works, bull**%\t walks.
In truth you need only compare what the infrastructure or (lack of it), during the Chiluba, Mwanawasa, MMD time to the current Zambia of impressive developments. We may have had less borrowing and cleared loans, but we had pot holes on roads, fewer hospitals, colleges, universities and our agriculture was basic. No one owned the land under their home, now we have freehold ownership. Opposition blind people with emotive arguments of blame and false allegations but the truth is there for all to see.
It’s good the Japanese and Botswana were involved in the design and construction of this high standards bridge instead of Chinese contractors where money would be stolen by useless political elite.
Also note no Chinese were involved in this project as the tender process was transparent.
Thank you Botswana for doing a great job in showing Zambia how things are done…not bandit PF govt with bandit President Edgar…he stole the Kazungula Bridge money and bought land in Eswathini
@ Kaizer, when you say “Sonta epo ubombele”, ni ndalama za nyoko?!!!
Tswanas will remember the PF GRZ that initiated and worked with them to finish this monumental national project. Well done, PF. Rhodesians left a pontoon which existed through UNIP and MMD, within 9 years of PF in power the bridge is now a reality. While Mwanawasa left $4bn cash reserves, 1 dilapidated UTH and health system, potholes and pontoons, the PF used this money and borrowed more and built several hospitals around the country, new roads and the magnificent Mongu-Kalabo bridge, now the Kazungula bridge.
Zambian Citizen, u can hate Mwanawasa all day long if that’s wht makes your day. Hatred is free and there’s no country in the world where they hv legislated against hating other people because it’s an invisible reality. But should u cause harm driven by that hatred, then the law comes in. I hope u are on the ground in Siavonga or Sinazongwe where u sought election to parliament last time. Otherwise another defeat awaits you.
“Mongu Kalabo road and Kazungula bridge are PF projects”, WERE YOU BORN YESTERDAY!!! What a pity!! We’ve had our share of problems on this very important project, we struggled, we’re now reaching completion. We are thankful to the Pf that found it and progressed it in cooperation with Khama and now Masisi administrations in Botswana. A great achievement for our 2 countries which I happen to both call home. Re a leboga. Luitumezi
8 million hours free of injuries!! Who is this fantastic contractor so that we keep using them?
As is the story with kafue george, everything has been nearing completion since 5 years ago(2015). Its now 2020 and everything is still nearing completion or being commissioned.
I am looking for information pertaining to the trains link on this bridge and the company contracted to move those trains?