Government Debt Halts Construction of Lusaka/Ndola Road

The Road Development Agency (RDA) has confirmed that the dual carriageway between Lusaka and Ndola has been stagnated as a result of an inability of the government to make payment.

RDA Public Relations Manager Masuzyo Ndholvu said that works on the $1.2 billion road will only commence once the debt situation within the country improves.

He said that work has already started on the construction of the road.

“To date, the contractor has carried out several preliminary activities such as setting up the construction camps site that is the preparation of designs, identified projects affected persons and Property and services that may require to be relocated to pave way for the construction works,” Mr Ndholvu said.

In spite of this, a halt in works is likely to cause chaos as a result of great uncertainty of if, or when, the government debt will be paid off. As a result, work already carried out to construct the road may go totally un-used, resulting in large payments already made going to total waste.

The 321km-long road was due to include by-pass roads in Kabwe, Kapiri Mposhi and the 45-kilometer Luanshya-Fisenge- Masangano Road.

Currently, government debt stands at at least $12 billion. However, debt to the Chinese is not transparent and could be as high as $32 billion. Subsequently, debt is higher than the country’s GDP which raises large questions as to how the government plans to pay off these loans whilst also developing the country.

Photo: Lusaka Times