Sat, 17 Dec 2016 11:02:02 +0000
IKELENGI district commissioner Victor Kayekesi says works on the Mwinilunga-Jimbe road are progressing well, with at least 80m kilometres of the road gravelled.
Government has awarded the 106-km road contract to Freca Mining and Manufacturing Company under the public private partnership (PPP) at a total cost of US $103 million.
Mr Kayekesi told the Daily Nation in an interview that despite the heavy rains, the contractor was on site and working to ensure that the project was executed within the stipulated time frame.
He said previously it used to take six hours to drive the 106 km distance but that it was now taking only 30 minutes from Mwinilunga to Ikelen’gi.
He said local people were happy that the road, which has never been tarred before since Independence, will now be upgraded to bituminous standard.
‘’It is a great achievement. And for us as a district administration we are very grateful to the Government under the leadership of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu for considering to tar this road,’’ he said.
He said he was happy that a local contractor was putting in his best to ensure a good road.
‘’Besides that, the construction of the road has motivated entrepreneurs to set up businesses in the area, which is putting more money in people’s pockets,’’ he said.
Once completed the road will link Zambia to Angola which is the shortest route to the sea compared to the Dar es Salaam route.
