RDA under fire for attempting to award K1.2bn road contract to UPND-linked firm

By BARNABAS ZULU
THE Road Development Agency (RDA) is facing growing scrutiny and allegations of corruption over plans to award a staggering K1.2 billion road construction contract to a company reportedly linked to the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND), despite the firm being seventh most expensive in terms of pricing among 12 competing bidders.
Anthony Mulowa, the RDA Chief Communications and Corporate Affairs Manager when contacted said he was not aware of the tender.
“I am not aware of that tender. We have several projects that we are doing. But for that one, we are not aware of it,” Mr Mulowa said.
But according to some competitors not happy with the selection process, the contract in question – Tender RDA/CE/ONB/001/2025 – was for the rehabilitation of 58.5 kilometres of roads in Lusaka district.
The said UPND-linked construction firm submitted a bid of K1, 259, 000, 000, reportedly the most expensive bid yet emerged as the frontrunner over companies that submitted significantly lower bids.
“The said company submitted a bid of K1.259 billion, making them the seventh most expensive bidder out of 12. Yet somehow, they are the favourites to be awarded the contract.
This is suspicious and smells of corruption at the highest level,” the whistleblower said in an interview.
The source also alleged that both ruling party and opposition figures were colluding behind the scenes to ensure the contract was awarded to the named company with kickbacks reportedly promised in return.
“This tender has become a political playground. People are using the President’s name to influence the process, while some from the PF are also involved for personal gain.
The suggestion that political actors from both sides are leveraging their influence raises serious questions about the integrity of the procurement process,” the source said.
A full list of the bids submitted by the 12 companies has been leaked, showing that Wah Kong Enterprises Ltd offered the lowest bid at K856 million, followed by China Jiangsu International Economic Technical Cooperation Corporation Zambia Ltd at K1.09 billion, and Ruthfied Engineering and Suppliers Ltd at K1.1 billion.
Beyond the pricing concerns, legal and regulatory red flags have also been raised as it has been revealed that the construction company did not have a bank surety – a crucial financial safeguard in contracts of this magnitude – and is instead backed by an insurance company.
“An insurance guarantee cannot be liquidated in the same way a bank guarantee can. In the event of default, the government may not recover the money. This is a deliberate risk,” the whistleblower stated.