Friday, March 29, 2024

Government looking to cut down cost of Lusaka-Ndola dual carriageway

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File 2017:Works on progress on the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriageway costing $1.2 Billion in Chibombo District

Housing and Infrastructure Development Minister Vincent Mwale says government is revisiting the contract for the Lusaka – Ndola dual carriageway with the possibility of cutting the cost down.

Mr. Mwale says government is revisiting the scope of works to see if the existing road can be maintained and only additional two lanes should be constructed.

The Minister says government is also looking at the possibility of constructing additional projects such as Hotels can be left out of the contract.

He added that the issue is not about disregarding construction of the dual carriage way, but to see how best to cut the cost of putting up the road.

Mr. Mwale said the initial scope of works was to reap off the existing road and put up four lanes, but government is now discussing if only two lanes can be constructed so that together with the existing two they make the desired dual carriage way.

And Mr Mwale has reiterated that he will work hard to see to it that the cost of construction in the country is reduced.

He said he is working with technocrats to see how best the cost of construction can be reduced in the country.

Meanwhile Mr. Mwale said the Ministry is seriously tackling the issue of building houses to reduce the national deficit.

He said the National Housing Authority -NHA- is currently undergoing restructuring so that it helps government is constructing houses.

This is according to a statement released to ZNBC News by Housing and Infrastructure Development Public Relations Officer, Jeff Banda after Mr Mwale featured on a private Radio station.

42 COMMENTS

    • The chickens have come home to roost. You are not looking at the cost the reality is the is no money… that project will never finish before 2021 when the clever people of Zambia send you packing.

    • Iye tata Lesa.

      Bakapoli nabalya indalama bakongwele.

      Now they want to build pavements along side existing roads.

      At a minimum, there should be a barrier between traffic going opposite directions.

      Where are all those PF cadres that were in favour of this road contract?

      Who do you think will own the hotels this thief Mwale is talking about?

    • Ka Vincent need fired too.
      Fire truck scandal he didn’t conclude, and now he has to answer Panji over buying the stadium in Chipata.

    • Na wishiba @IndigoTyrol, those useless pavement things they are making will soon become a hazard. Imagine a car breaks down – there is nowhere to lay-by and park the car; wide vehicles will be scratching large vehicles on some sections when they have no space to manoeuvre a little off the road. That is what happens when grand theft becomes rampant; they have nowhere to take the stolen loot now. There were even some traffic lights on Los Angeles (ex-Saddam Hussein) that I am told only worked for less than a week…

    • This Ministry is definitely not for the fainthearted.
      Vincent, kindly get back on truck.
      Let’s get original.

    • @ Obatala I too remember this opposition leader questioning the logic of constructing anew the two highways to create the dual carriageway instead of only one as a cost effective way and to leave hotels and other infrastructure for the private sector! But as is always the case by the ruling party the opposition politician was ignored and vilified now its a vindication! Really how can those in the opposition advice when all they offer is treated as unfit for consideration by the ruling party? This is not as if concerns were not raised earlier it just makes government incompetent!

  1. The problem is you put more money in your pockets for development like roads.you borrow more for the same project but you use less

  2. Where there no technocrats in the initial discussion of the whole contracts? Why should the involvement of technocrats be even mentioned at this stage? Honesty you have the courage to expose yourself to even disclose to us that the awarding of the contract was not done by the experts from the start? It’s hard for one to be on your side especially when people question transparency in the way you manage public resources. Soliciting for the right minds to reduce the cost now???

    • But wasnt the Great Leader admitting a few weeks ago that the county is broke?We have an energy crisis which was foreseeable and that is when you continue with useless,corrupt ridden contracts?I think 2021 is too far,we shall soon start sh1tting water,what is happening with the impeachment motion?We shouldn’t suffer just because we have leaders with no vision and no direction.

  3. Everybody knows that price tag was exaggerated, please go ahead and give us a realistic number, dont sugarcoat it as Govt doing something… Every hard working Zambia is soooooo tired of u cheap antics! Pls change 2021 is by the corner… gentle reminder time is forever moving. Ticktock ticktock………….

    • Asphalt overlay is a paving method of applying a new layer of asphalt to a deteriorating surface. Rather than tearing up an old asphalt surface entirely, an asphalt overlay project will use the existing layers as a base for the new asphalt pavement. This method was used by Phoenix Contractors during FTJ’s time and you called him a thief and I remember Mpondela boasting about the quality of the roads. Ba Mwale ask your engineers why they have abandoned this method. Concrete roads is another option and President Lungu wondered why they are not used when commissioning Dangote Cement .

  4. “…but government is now discussing if only two lanes can be constructed so that together with the existing two they make the desired dual carriage way.” of course. Just maintain or upgrade the old one to a good standard also. Forget about those hotels – for what? Infact it can be far less inconveniencing if the existing is left alone and just add another two lanes kwasila. Like this no road blocking due to construction.
    Now thats when they want to consult technocrats after things have backfired!!! Yaba!!!
    Disaster!!!

  5. Akainde’s minions tesana. They are all thieves and they see everything from that angle. The Government should just go ahead and construct the new road leaving out the hotels and other amenities that was in the original scope. That old road is worn out.

    • The problem is all of Akainde’s minion are vagabonds abroad and can never fathom the new development under PF as their chances of returning home to take up all the jobs are getting slim by the day. This is the reason they celebrate any calamity that befalls the country thinking people will revolt against the Government

    • Did Akainde shaft your mother and daughter at the same time?

      Be serious for once please. Your PF have chewed the money, and all you can say is Akainde?

      Kanyeleko kumbi wembushi

    • @sokota d!ckhead…That time when you are so dull and stupid let alone a cadre,everything is about HH….by the way he is Hakainde not the other way round to your brain which seems to be the ones you use to sit on….Open your eyes and come out pf`s ass….Don`t let hatred get to your head.ba pf have messed up unless you are eating together….

    • Why are you PF supporters all dull and stup!d ayi? Kwalibabfye bonse mulifipuba not even one with even a quarter of intelligence? Very surprising mwe.

  6. Bapompwe imwe ba PFoools couldn’t think about this in the beginning… toooo dull like their ka worst president on earth

  7. Minister congratulations!! You have started well. It is very dangerous and it’s not advisable to start changing the scope of works and BOQ.

    As an international expert on these matters, If the scope work will reduce by more than 25%, then it’s advisable to have the revised scope of works and BOQ and then re-advertise this tender, especially since you appear to have used direct contracting (in Z known as single sourcing), in order for the market to give us the true cost of constructing only one of the dual carriage way from Lusaka to Ndola.

    But please listen to the wisdom of engineers and where necessary request a meeting with independent road engineers and procurement experts in the world bank for sound options and advise.

    Infrastructure development in Africa is one of the…

  8. There you go…..you had lungu spontenously dancing on airport runways and in churches even when there was no music…….

    the dum a.ss kaponya rats thought that is a sign of being humble ……….while to lungu, when he thought how much Zambia could borrow , he would start dancing…..

    They thought it is mana from heaven….

  9. They should just say there’s no money for the Lusaka-Ndola dual road. They were too ambitious yet without funds. They should have started with the Lusaka-Kabwe dual carriageway. At least this route is a more pressing need considering the big volume of traffic

  10. Yashota and now to cut corners hiding their corruption. The money these *****s are stealing, will they take it with them to their graves? Don’t they have gran children to feel sorry for because time is coming Zambians will rise above hungry hyenas like these…

  11. The Lusaka – Ndola Road is an economic road. So I propose that Government lets the ROAD PAY for itself at ZERO cost to Government. In the Budget Address, Government indicated relying heavily on PPPs to move infrastructure development, this is one.
    Strategy.

    The source of funding can be through listing this project on LUSE, have citizens buy into the project (more money in the pocket) but if you want include a strategic partner to direct the project. Secondly, the investors recoup through tow fees over a number of years. Thirdly, Government would get taxes from tow fees and investors for the duration of the PPPs without using it to pay debt as the case is NOW.

    Actually Government can do PPPs for all economical roads and raise MONEY to pay-off the Eurobonds very easily.

  12. Questions were raised a long time ago about the over pricing of this road and how long it was taking to construct. Some people brushed aside the observations. It has now come to pass. Overpriced, shoddy works, money ‘chewed’ and nothing left to finish it off according to the original plan. This is where to take politicians responsible to task. Overpriced road, but now suddenly, instead of constructing, according to the plan of four new lanes, the minister suggests continuing with only two new lanes and ‘viola’, adding the other two old lanes to create the four lanes! They shared the extra part added to the actual cost, but then presumably got greedier and consumed even part of the remaining monies to cover actual cost.

  13. These guys appear to have been consumed with and by their greed.Reality has now caught up with them! They exaggerated the needs of the road with the intention to steal from each additional piece of infrastructure. For heaven’s sake,why should we have hotels along the dual carriage way when the main objective is to move traffic fast so that people do not sleep on the way? Yes,remove fancy pieces from the project as the are just conduits of theft BUT GIVE US A ROAD OF DIGINITY THAT IS SAFE AND DIRECT, AVOIDING UNNECESSARY RUNS THROUGH TOWN CENTRES OF TRANSIT!

  14. Tell me guys, especially tribles UPND, can you take any advise if it is offered like an insult?
    Surely you will agree that you will never be able to see anything good in any advice laced with insults.

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