. Mulowa

By SAM PHIRI in Sinazongwe  –
THE Road Development Agency (RDA) has assured that the Botton Road project in Southern Province has not been abandoned and it would recommence soon.
RDA acting director for communications Anthony Mulowa made the assurance following concerns raised by Chief Sinazongwe over the slow pace of the road works.
Chief Sinazongwe of the Tonga people appealed to the Government to provide finances for the completion of the stalled Bottom Road project.
The traditional leader said the road works had halted but no clear explanation had been given.
A check by the Times of Zambia found earth-moving equipment gathering dust at the contractor’s base, with no sign of activity.
Speaking in an interview from his palace, Chief Sinazongwe said the completion of the road would unlock the economic potential of the district to the benefit of the province and the entire country.
He said keeping the area was underdeveloped and depriving the country of the much-needed revenue that could come from the district’s rich potential in agriculture and tourism.
“We very much, thank President Lungu for thinking about this road. We are Zambians and we appeal to him to look into this project. He is the only one who can listen to our cry,” Chief Sinazongwe said.
Mr Mulowa clarified to the traditional leader that the road project suffered intermittent funding.
Mr Mulowa said the agency was especially encouraged by President Lungu’s directive to Finance Minister Felix Mutati to ensure there was a steady flow of funds to all infrastructure projects.
“The Bottom Road is one of the projects which RDA embarked on under Link Zambia 8000 and as RDA, we are committed to making sure all projects are completed,” Mr Mulowa said.
He said delays did not indicate that the project was abandoned and that the RDA was committed to completing it once the funds were available.
On September 30, 2014, RDA awarded a contract to Stefanutti Stocks Construction to upgrade 107.5 kilometres of the Bottom Road (Lot 2) to bituminous standards at a sum of K592,500,000.
The project was supposed to be completed and handed over to Government by September last year.