SENIOR Chief Kanongesha of the Lunda-speaking people in Mwinilunga District has called for the immediate prosecution of two contractors who allegedly abandoned construction works.
Senior Chief Kanongesha said one contractor was engaged by Government to construct the Mudyanyama/Kapemba Bridge at a cost of K37 million, while another was engaged to rehabilitate the Kanongesha/Mwinilunga Road at a cost of K1.8 million.
The traditional leader said in an interview with ZANIS that both projects have been abandoned and the contractors in question have since bolted from the site leaving the works at just the initial stages.
Senior Chief Kanongesha whose chiefdom spreads from Mwinilunga to the newly-created Ikelengi district wondered how his area would develop with such tendencies by selfish contractors bent on defrauding state coffers.
“Works on the Mudyanyama/Kapemba Bridge and the Kanongesha/Mwinilunga road have stalled because the two contractors government engaged have disappeared in thin air.
“Government poured a total of K38.8 million on the two projects but l’m wondering what is happening and how my chiefdom would develop with such selfish minded firms,” Senior Chief Kanongesha lamented.
The traditional leader said he reported the matter and had audience with the local district administrations on the two projects but the authorities did not give him a satisfactory response.
The traditional leader, however, praised Government for releasing funds for implementing capital projects in his area.
Senior Chief Kanongesha pledged to rally behind President Micheal Sata and the Government of the day for spearheading the development agenda not only in his chiefdom but the country as a whole.—ZANIS.