Bwacha MP wants more roads

Bwacha Constituency member of parliament Sydney Mushanga has appealed to the government to consider increasing the  road kilometres allocated to his constituency under the Link Zambia 8000 project.

Mr Mushanga said the 4 Kilometres against the 27 Kilometres given to Kabwe central constituency is not enough.

He said this when Works and Supply deputy minister, Malama Mwimba paid a courtesy call on Kabwe district commissioner Patrick Chishala in Kabwe today.

The deputy minister is on a two-day inspection of road construction works going on in Kabwe and Kapiri-Mposhi districts.

The parliamentary said there is urgent need for government to consider approving an application, which has already been sent to the Ministry of Works and Supply by the Road Development Agency, RDA, Regional Engineer, in which they have collectively requested for an additional 23 Kilometres to Kabwe district, to carter for the roads in Bwacha constituency.

Mr Mushanga is concerned that if this issue is not addressed, it would affect him negatively, as an MP, because people in his constituency are already wondering why Bwacha has been awarded such a small number of road kilo metres.

‘’Honourable Minister, I, somehow, feel left out in the link Zambia 8000 Project because as it is, only 4 Kilometres has been awarded to my Constituency and honestly, I am worried because my electorates will not understand this”, he complained.

And Mr Mushanga has thanked the deputy minister for incorporating him and his counterpart, Kabwe Central Member of Parliament, James Kapyanga, in his program, saying it is important for Ministers and other top government officials coming into the district to inform them about their presence so that they can know what is obtaining in their constituencies in terms of development.

And in response, Works and Supply deputy minister Malama Mwimba, directed RDA Regional Engineer Joseph Mwiinga to give him a report on the issue of variation of 23 kilo metres for roads in Bwacha Constituency. 

Mr Mwimba said the issue must be addressed immediately because just like Kabwe central constituency with 27 kilo metres allocation Bwacha is also part of Zambia.

‘’I want to assure you Honourable Member of Parliament that my office will ensure that a substantive number of Kilometres is added to those awarded in your Constituency because in as much as we want to beautify the face of Kabwe we are also alive to the fact that the people in Bwacha are part of Zambia and they equally gave us a vote,’’ he said.

The deputy minister also urged the RDA regional engineer to keep close contacts with his office in case of any challenges in order to avoid unnecessary delays.

He said the Zambian people have suffered for a long time and any unchecked delays in the construction of roads will injure their trust in government.

Meanwhile, Kabwe district commissioner Patrick Chishala said there is need for works done in Kabwe and other districts to balance with those done in Lusaka.

Mr Chishala said he has personally been on the ground to ensure that the contractor does not divert from the agreed upon terms and conditions .

Mr Chishala also said that the contractor Asphalt Roads Zambia has created jobs by employing 56 local youths.