Merlyn Mwanza
Finance minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane says government has no plans to reduce the toll fees paid by motorists, saying the UPND never promised to do so.
And Dr Musokotwane said those in the previous PF administration were giving each other road contracts in a wild manner, as if they were buying bottles of beer for each other without regard on how to pay for the same beer.
Meanwhile, in a letter to the editor, one of Daily Revelation readers, identified as Augrey bemoaned the poor state of the road between Kabwe and John Chinena in Chibombo, which he said was a danger to the motorists and needed urgent attention.
Responding to a question from Chama South member of parliament (PF) Davison Mung’andu, who said that motorists were paying on average K160 to drive from Kitwe to Lusaka, asking therefore if the UPND administration has plans to reduce the fees “as promised”, Dr Musokotwane said he did not remember the UPND making such a promise.
“I don’t think we promised to reduce fees … I am hearing that for the first time,” Dr Musokotwane said, wondering how Mung’andu could expect the government to reduce the fees while hoping that more roads should be constructed, as that would mean that the same projects would have to wait even longer. “So there are no plans (to reduce the fees).”
Dr Musokotwane said K6.383 billion has been collected in toll fees from the period 2016 to August 2021, with the initial year accounting for K475 million and K909 million, K1.212 billion, K1.551 billion and K1.578 billion in subsequent years, with each year seeing an increment in the number of tolls respectively. He said K2.2 billion was projected to be collected at the end of this year.
He said the Katuba toll plaza and the Michael Chilufya Sata one were the highest collection points.
Dr Musokotwane, however, said the revenue collected from the tolls was not sufficient enough to construct and maintain the roads, as there was need for supplementary funds from the treasury to undertake that. He was responding to the question from Mufumbwe member of parliament (UPND) Elliot Kamondo who wanted to know what the position of the UPND administration was on the tolls, and why the roads were not being maintained as the people were made to believe that would be the reason for constructing the facilities.
He said as soon as the county gets debt relief, some funds could be channeled towards road construction to supplement the collections from tolls.
Responding to the question from Lubansenshi member of parliament (PF) Kabwe Chewe who wanted to known when the government would pay the road constructors who had left the sites in his constituency, Dr Musokotwane said that was something he has always referred to as there was no control under the previous government because they were allocating each other contracts anyhow, without the ability to pay for them.
He said they were giving out contracts as if they were buying bottles of beer without taking into account how they would pay for them.
Dr Musokotwane said the Nakonde road, which was a very important transit route in and out of the country was not even considered, but “they were busy giving out contracts here, there in Chalala”, however, promising that the Nakonde road will be looked into.
But Shiwang’andu member of parliament Stephen Kampyongo said when those in PF were giving out contracts, it was because they knew that people wanted roads.
He urged Dr Musokotwane with the minister of Infrastructure to produce a detailed plan so that the roads were funded.
“Indeed people need roads, but the answer is not to give out contracts in a wild manner,” responded Dr Musokotwane, adding that some of the roads, like on the Copperbelt Province would have to be done through the Public Private Partnership (PPP).
And one of the Daily Revelation readers, Augrey, wrote: “The section of the Great North Road between Kabwe town and John Chinena has become a nightmare to drivers as big potholes have developed in recent times. This situation will get worse during the rainy season if not attended to. RDA seems to have gone to sleep. Can someone attend to this problem before lives are lost? The cost of driving on this section of the road is evidently high for most vehicle owners is already high due to breakdowns and cost of spare parts.”
