RDA tenders on major roads elicit sigh of relief
Published On September 5, 2022 » 7366 Views» By Times Reporter » Features
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By JOWIT SALUSEKI-
IT is an undeniable fact that the state of most highways in Zambia has deteriorated markedly over the last few years.
This is especially true for the longer routes that take traffic into the north, west, south and some eastern parts of the country.
Notwithstanding the periodical maintenance on some roads and new ones which have been constructed in recent times, long stretches of rutted highways and narrow winding diversions have become a common challenge for motorists.
For instance, the Great North Road, especially the stretch between districts of Lavushimanda and Chinsali in Muchinga Province, is one among those which are in a deplorable condition at the moment.
This is not withstanding the fact that works to overhaul the entire stretch are currently underway from Nakonde to Chinsali.
Similarly, the Livingstone-Sesheke, Kalumbila-Mwinilunga, Chipata–Chadiza Road, Chembe-Mansa, Mpika-Kasama, Mongu-Lukulu, Lusaka-Luangwa, Chama-Lundazi, Ndola-Mufulira, Mazabuka–Livingstone, Batoka–Maamba, among other roads, are all in a sorry state.
As for the Batoka-Maamba Road, in a recent interview, Kelvin Habasimbi, a senior citizen based in Sinazongwe District said the road has been in a deplorable state for almost 30 years now.
Mr Habasimbi said many travelers complain that access to the coal-rich area, which is accessible through an inlet that covers a distance of 88 kilometres from Batoka between Monze and Choma, is a challenge.
He said although the road still has patches where it is tarred, a person driving to the area for the first time needs to be patient and carefully negotiate the way while trying to avoid colliding with coal-laden trucks from either Maamba Collieries or Sinazongwe Collum Coal Mine.
Local residents said it is not uncommon to find broken down trucks or vehicles that have flipped because of the poor state of the road in some areas, especially before Sinazeze.
Like all other roads that are in poor condition, the Solwezi-Mwinilunga Road is also in a deplorable state especially the stretch between Kisasa and Mwinilunga.
This is despite the fact that the road is of economic importance because hundreds of copper trucks ply on the road on a daily basis.
Because of the poor condition of the major roads, road accidents are a common occurrence on every single day.
Arising from the above, the Road Development Agency (RDA) has advertised a request for proposals for the upgrading to bituminous standard various roads across the country.
According to RDA, the roads will be done under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
This has elated residents across the country where the works are earmarked to commence after the awarding of the tenders.
According to an advertisement which appeared in the Times of Zambia recently, among the roads earmarked to be worked on using the PPP model on include a dual carriage way from Lusaka to Livingstone, upgrading to bituminous standard the road from Matumbo to Chama, Chama-Lundazi (Eastern Province), the 475km Landless Corner to Kasempa (Central, North-Western), works on the 404km Serenje to Chinsali (Central), the 220 km Chongwe-Luangwa Bridge (Lusaka).
Others are the 343km Mutanda-Jimbe Road and the 109km Solwezi-Kipushi (North-Western).
The 212km Livingstone-Sesheke (South/Western), the 55km Katete-Chadiza (Eastern) and the 88km Maamba Road (Southern) are also included.
Commenting on the decision by Government through RDA to advertise for the tender to work on the major roads, Chief Kanyama of Mwinilunga District commended the State for the magnanimous decision.
“The Government should be commended for hearing the cries of the people. For instance, the Solwezi-Mwinilunga Road has been in a very bad state for over 20 years now,” the traditional leader said.
He said the poor state of the road has not only derailed economic development in the area, but the bad terrain is also putting lives of the travelling public at risk.

. Chief Kanyama


Chief Kanyama said President Hakainde Hichilema had set the tone that he wants to take development to all parts of the country by unlocking the transport sector through reconstruction of dilapidated roads in different parts of the country.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Mwinilunga Constituency Member of
Parliament Newton Simakayi who said people in his constituency often get stranded when buses breakdown due to the poor terrain on the Kisasa-Mwinilunga Road.
“The people of Mwinilunga Constituency are happy with the news that finally the road will be worked on because this is one of the campaign promises that we as UPND, during last year’s elections, told the voters that the Solwezi-Jimbe Road will be worked on to bituminous standard,” Mr Samakayi said in an interview.
He said the road is of economic importance because it also links the area to neighbouring countries such as Angola and DR Congo that offer a big market for business opportunities.
Chief Kakoma also of Mwinilunga said the Government should also consider working on the Lumwana West-Kakoma-Kambimba Border Road which connects to DR Congo.
He said the road is of economic value to both Zambia and her mineral rich neighbour.
Worth noting is that while the resource envelope may not allow all the roads in all 10 provinces to be done at the same time, the PPP model is one way in which the country can have a complete overhaul of dilapidated roads.
In this way, the country can open up in terms of development.

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