By CHUSA SICHONE
 –

THE Road Development Agency (RDA) has paid ZESCO K3 million for the
power utility company to remove its structures found on Chilimbulu and
Burma roads to allow for the expansion process of the two roads in
Lusaka.
ZESCO spokesperson Henry Kapata, who confirmed the development in an
interview yesterday, said the company had since completed its task on
both roads by cutting down trees and moving its structures 20 metres
away from their initial location.
“As ZESCO, when the project started we were given K3 million by the
RDA to remove our facilities found on road reserves on Burma and
Chilimbulu roads to pave way for road expansion.
“We have done our job. Our job was to remove our facilities from point
A to B with caution. You can’t remove electrical materials like you
are blowing a candle,” he said.
Works and Supply Deputy Minister Mwimba Malama said although he was
yet to receive a report from the RDA, which had been tasked to look
into issues relating to utility companies, he was happy to learn that
ZESCO had done its part.
“If ZESCO are saying that they have done everything then well and
good. If they haven’t done their part, we will be on them because we
don’t have time to waste.
“The issue to do with ZESCO is not very much; the biggest issue is on
Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company. That’s where the biggest problem is
because they are waiting for pipes from South Africa, they received
some and some are on their way,” he said.
Mr Malama was, however, optimistic that AVIC International would
complete the works on schedule.
Mr Malama observed that lay persons viewed the road works as moving at
a slow pace when that was not the case as they did not understand the
magnitude of work involved in such infrastructural projects.
“No, the progress is not slow because there are some designs that they
are trying to complete. Work is going on and very soon they will get
back and continue from where they ended.
“The other thing that I can comment on is that the nature of works,
most of us Zambians don’t understand what it takes to build a road and
this is why maybe some people think there is a delay here even when
there is no delay.  Otherwise they are set and they will actually be
finishing according to the stipulated period.”
RDA senior public relations manager Loyce Saili said in a separate
interview earlier that she was misquoted in some sections of the media
as having blamed ZESCO for delaying the project but that the power
utility company had to be paid to remove its infrastructure on
Chilimbulu and Burma roads and that the contractor had done the
clearance of the expanded portions.
There have been concerns raised by some members of the public over the
pace at which the expansion works on Chilimbulu and Burma roads, among
others.