Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development Ronald Chitotela has maintained that government is committed to rehabilitate the entire 72km of the Kafue to Mazabuka Road.
Mr. Chitotela says the Government in 2016 officially requested the African Development Bank (AfDB) to finance the rehabilitation of the Kafue to Mazabuka Road.
He says the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) has approved approximately US$ 35 million towards the cost of construction and supervision services.
Mr. Chitotela says the procurement process for both the Consultant and Contractor has since started and that it is envisaged that the procurement process will be completed by the fourth quarter of 2018.
He narrates that the funding from the African Development Bank will be channeled towards the section between Turnpike and Chikankata Road turnoff which is approximately 38km.
Mr. Chitotela states that the funds from the AfDB are not sufficient to finance the entire 72 km of the Kafue to Mazabuka Road and that government is pursuing financing from the United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF) and Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) to cover costs for the remainder of the works.
He says the financing is also expected to cover costs for rehabilitation of the Chikankata Turnoff to Mazabuka, Construction of the Mazabuka Bypass: and rehabilitation of the Mazabuka to Monze Road.
The Minister adds that due to the poor state of the road and the need to facilitate continuous flow of traffic, the Road Development Agency (RDA) in December 2017 engaged Messrs Inyatsi Roads Zambia Limited to carryout Holding Maintenance pending full rehabilitation of the road.
Mr. Chitotela says the Holding Maintenance works are valued at K65, 960, 308 VAT inclusive and are expected to be completed in December 20I8.
He says Inyatsi is reconstructing of approximately 13km of severely damaged sections, application of a slurry seal on a total length of approximately 29km and pothole patching along the entire 72km stretch.
The Minister says so far the contractor has done an estimated of 22%.
This is contained in a statement made available by Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development Public Relations Officer Jeff Banda.