President Sata launches Luangwa Bridge , Feira Road Project

Upgrading of the 91km kilometre Luangwa Bridge – Feira Road from gravel to bituminous standards has commenced. His Excellency the President Michael Chilufya Sata officially flagged off the construction of the road on March 30, 2013 at a colourful ceremony held at Manuele Village.

The 24 month Project which falls in Lusaka Province would provide a short link for economic trade between Zambia and the southern sub-region of the African continent through Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

The President said the road would be beneficial to the Zambian people living along it for easy transportation of their agricultural produce to the market. The road traverses through farming communities and a game management area and thus critical for transportation of farm inputs and produce to and from the markets with great potential for tourism attraction adding that during construction period, the Project would provide employment to the local people especially the youth.

“Time has come for this Government to fulfil its promises and ensure that the poor people in the villages also benefit and appreciate development efforts,” the President said. He directed the Road Development Agency (RDA) to speed up the works and ensure that the Project was completed within time.

The Project will be undertaken by China Geo International Corporation and will start from the Junction with Great East Road junction at the Luangwa Bridge to Luangwa Boma (Feira) with the Road stretching along the Luangwa River through Katondwe School up to Feira.

“This road we are constructing should pass through Chief Mphuka and Chief Mbuluma’s Chiefdoms as well as Katondwe School. I have driven through this road and promised to work on it once I had power. Now that I have power, this is what we are doing today,” he said.

President Sata further urged RDA to consider extending the works by constructing the road from Feira to Lusaka through Mtendere (in Chirundu) to provide the shortest link between Lusaka and Luangwa Boma.

He said he did not mind which company was awarded contracts to work on roads as long as the road infrastructure was benefiting all Zambians. The President said the construction of roads under Zambia was providing employment not only to Zambian youths but also to their Chinese counterparts.

And speaking earlier at the same occasion, Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication, Hon. Christopher Yaluma said his Ministry through RDA would achieve the objectives set under the Link Zambia 8000 Road Project with a declaration that Zambia shall be transformed into a truly land linked Country.

The Luangwa Bridge to Feira Road was the second road project the President was launching under the Accelerated National Roads Construction Programme also dubbed ‘The Link Zambia 8000 Road Project where approximately 8000 kilometers of the Country’s road network will be upgraded to bituminous standards.

The road starts from Great East Road, about 230Km from Lusaka City extending to Luangwa Boma (Feira) which is located at the confluence of the Luangwa and the Zambezi Rivers. The section from the Great East Road junction to Luangwa (Feira) Boma is currently gravel road and was last maintained in 2008.

The only Rehabilitation works on this road has ranged from spot regravelling to re-construction of failed gravel pavements to allow motorists to continue using the road which is at its worst in the rainy season.

The proposed upgrading and re-alignment works include but are not limited to Bush Clearing, Construction of Selected road embankment layers, gravelling of sub-base and Cement stabilization of gravel base layers and Construction of new double seal bituminous surfacing extending over the shoulders. Others are Road markings and traffic signs, provision of guard rails and other ancillary works and Installation of drainage structures.