DESPITE Kitwe being the second largest city in Zambia, the infrastructure at its nearest airport remains a major concern.
Kitwe has a population of more than 500,000 and its existence has historically relied on the success of copper mining and more recently has experienced commercial and agricultural growth.
In addition, Kitwe is one of the most developed commercial and industrial areas in the nation, alongside Ndola and Lusaka.
With the success of copper mining in the area, the infrastructure development, particularly those of the airport and roads should be key to drive the economy.
Southdowns, a Kalulushi-based airport servicing Kitwe and surrounding districts has one runway designated with asphalt surface and does not receive many scheduled flights because of the infrastructure constraints.
From Southdown Airport, passengers can board flights to Ndola, Lusaka, Livingstone and numerous game reserves around Zambia.
Passengers travelling outside Zambia should either board flights from Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe and Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Ndola and Lusaka, respectively.
In 2005, Southdowns Airport was closed down for repairs and was reopened in 2008 but there is need to upgrade its facilities to support safe, functional, capacity balanced and user-friendly infrastructure that will be in line with international standards.
For  Southdowns Airport to increase on the number of flights, Kalulushi Mayor Bernard Mumba says it was important for the Government to consider upgrading the airport facilities.
“We are appealing to the Government to consider rehabilitating and upgrading the Southdowns Airport following the launch of a direct flight from Lusaka to Kitwe by Proflight Zambia,” Bishop Mumba said.
The airport which lies about 12 kilometres (Km) south-west of Kitwe has infrastructure constraints and cannot accommodate larger planes.
Bishop Mumba is of the view that the Government should first work on the road leading to the airport and also improve its general outlook.
“We are calling on the Government to quickly rehabilitate the infrastructure at the airport so that will attract more airlines to fly directly into Kitwe.
“Our priority should be to immediately improve the infrastructure and rehabilitate the road leading to the airport which is in a bad state.
We already have the fire engine, it is just the general outlook of the airport that needs to be worked on,” he said.
Bishop Mumba said this during the launch of KKIA-Southdowns Airport direct flight by Proflight Zambia on July 13, 2015.
He says there is need for investment in infrastructure which is a proven economic engine as it drives growth and creates lasting benefits.
“We want to appreciate Proflight Zambia for this new flight and it will not only put Kalulushi on the market but will profile Kalulushi, as the opening of this is a milestone to improve the district,” Bishop Mumba said.
He says the planes can only land or take off between sunrise and sunset.
The Proflight direct flights will be twice a day on weekdays and once on Sundays.
Proflight Zambia director of Government and industrial affairs Philip Lemba said the launch of a flight from Lusaka to Kitwe/ Kalulushi’s
Southdown airport was necessitated by the growing demand of direct flight in the area.
“This is our ninth domestic destination for the airline and is expected to cater mainly for business people dealing with the mining sector,” Captain Lemba says.
The district has seen a rise in more tourist friendly attractions including hotels, shopping centres and cinemas, presenting more reasons to visit.
“Kitwe is the second largest city in Zambia after Lusaka and business is booming with the opening of the new Mukuba Shopping Mall a few months ago and that is just one sign that the city is heading to the right direction,” Capt Lemba said.
Zambia Tourism Board (ZTB) managing director Felix Chaila says:
“As African destinations we need to look at sub-regional travel, we need to look to domestic travel other than business travel that is well known for Copperbelt, we need to look at tourist travel in Kalulushi,”.
Currently, the Government is modernising the country’s international airports to bring them to international standards.
Upgrades are being carried out at the KKIA in Lusaka with a passenger terminal building at a cost of US$385 million and the construction of new Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport in Ndola at a cost of $522 million.
It is therefore important for the Government to consider allocating resources in the 2016 national budget for the upgrade of Southdown Airport to attract more airlines and ensure an economic boom for the Copperbelt.