A concession agreement was recently signed for the Chingola-Kasumbalesa road in Zambia. The agreement was signed by Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane and Eng. Grace Mutembo. The former is the Minister of Finance and National Planning while the latter is the Acting Director and CEO of the Road Development Agency (RDA).
E. Shangfa, who works as the Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Turbo-Ka-Chin Investment Consortium, also signed the agreement. Moreover, Messrs. Turbo-Ka-Chin Investment Consortium, who was awarded the status of concessionaire for the Chingola-Kasumbalesa road, signed the concession agreement.
Infrastructure, Housing, and Urban Development Minister Hon. Eng. Charles Miliupi, Minister of Transportation and Logistics Hon. Frank Tayali, Minister of Technology and Science Hon. Felix Mutati, and Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Hon. Paul Kabuswe witnessed the event.
Chingola-Kasumbalesa road to be developed through a PPP
The transport sector, according to Hon. Eng. Charles Milupi is important to economic growth. This he said is because it facilitates people’s movement, trade in goods and services, and business. Therefore, Eng. Milupi, said that the government has prioritized the development and maintenance of the transport and logistics infrastructure.
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“The new government plans to build or repair these high-traffic roads using the public-private partnership financing model. This is in a bid to get around the challenges caused by hindered financial resources and reduce related financial pressure.
The private sector will therefore work with the government by investing in public infrastructure and receiving compensation in the form of toll fees for a given period of time. Carrying out sustainable public-private partnership projects for better infrastructure development and service delivery would be improved by this financing model,”
The objective of the project
The Chingola-Kasumbalesa road project’s aim, according to Hon. Eng. Milupi, is to make it easier for traffic to move between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The expansion of the road from Chingola to Kasumbalesa, with the final 3 km being finished off with a concrete paved dual carriageway, would be one of the project’s outstanding features. Other features include a type 2 weighbridge, two truck parks, and also a toll plaza.
Finally, Hon. Eng. Milupi confirmed the government’s commitment to building modern public infrastructure on schedule, within budget, and with quality.
