By Chinoyi Chipulu
Governance expert and human rights advocate Wesley Miyanda has called on the government to invest in road infrastructure and quickly work on the Nampundwe Shibuyunji road in Central province as this would increase mineral transportation.
Miyanda said this would ease transportation of mineral products, farm produce and would also open up trade between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which will in turn boost the economic activities between the two countries.
Miyanda’s call follows the re-launch of mining operations at Nampundwe Mines under Konkola Copper Mines (KCM).
KCM chief operating officer Malcolm Mewett relaunched KCM at Nampundwe Mine on Friday
Miyanda said in an interview that it would be very shameful for the United Party for National Development (UPND) administration to complete their two terms in office without attending to the named districts.
He said that a good road network was a crucial element in the development of a community on a localised level and a country’s economic growth nationally and globally.
“Following the relaunch of mining operations at Nampundwe Mines under Vedanta’s Konkola Copper Mines, government, through the Ministry of Infrastructure and Urban Development, should expedite feasibility studies in readiness for the construction of Nampundwe Shibuyunji Road to bring it to bituminous standard,” he said.
He said Shibuyunji district and its surrounding areas were not only rich in mineral resources, but farming activities too
“In these districts they cultivate maize, cotton, soya beans and vegetables. Local farmers should be able to access markets for their farm produce. The same road leads to Blue Lagoon, which is one of the tourist attractions in Central Province and Zambia at large,” he said.
He said farmers found it hard to transport their products with the bad state of the roads.
“Roads are of vital importance in any country’s growth and development. Shibuyunji, as a district established in 2012 under President Michael Sata’s administration deserves better infrastructural face-lift such as road network, district hospital, Magistrates Court, banking facilities and fully furnished district administration offices and houses for public workers,” he said.
Miyanda urged companies operating in the district to invest in projects that would have a lasting impact in communities when implementing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs.
“Apart from government, as the main funder of most infrastructural projects, we wish to implore our civic and traditional leaders to engage these big Investors such as KCM, Kafue Sugar among others on some of the projects such as teachers’ houses, health facilities, bridges and schools through their CSR,” said Miyanda.
“We shall not sit back and watch our own district officers squatting instead of operating from the same locality for easy co-ordination of government operations. The district that was established 10 years ago does not have good roads and no district office blocks up to now. It would be fatal and very shameful for the current UPND administration to complete their two terms in office without attending to the named district.”
