By Angela Moonga
Citizens First (CF) leader Harry Kalaba says they would renegotiate the contract entered into between the UPND administration and Macro Ocean Investment Consortium, which has allowed the foreign entity to collect toll fees on the busy Lusaka-Ndola dual carriage way for 25 years.
In a press statement made available today, Kalaba argued that Zambia was among the countries with the busiest roads in the entire Southern African region, with the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) having indicated that they collected K4 billion in toll fees in 2024 alone.
“Zambia is among the countries with the busiest roads in the entire Southern African region. We in the CF believe that our capacity to generate revenue from our roads can be increased without placing any added financial burden on our citizens. This is especially true when it comes to our toll gates,” Kalaba stated. “The National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) collects most tolls nationwide, but the so called “new dawn” has handed over the operation of major toll points on the Lusaka–Ndola dual carriageway, to a private foreign consortium known as Macro Ocean Investment Consortium. This arrangement made by the “new dawn” gives a foreign company the right to build and operate a major national road and earn from our toll gates for a total of 25 years. The agreement includes 3 for construction and 22 years in which the consortium will operate, maintain and collect toll revenue from that road. This means that foreign interests will continue earning a large share of revenue from our roads until the year 2048.
He argued that with proper planning, the levels of revenue NRFA was collecting was more than enough to support the construction of factories, power projects and large industrial parks.
“Yet because significant sections of our main highways have been placed under long concession arrangements, Zambia continues to lose control of a major source of national income. Our country cannot build a strong industrial base while the largest slices of toll revenue are committed to long term agreements that favour foreign operators,” he stated.
He argued that this approach must change.
“The CF will renegotiate these arrangements so that Zambia keeps the majority of the revenue collected on our roads. Roads exist to move people and products, not to transfer wealth away from citizens,” Kalaba stated. “To make this a reality, we will see to it that every major contract will undergo a parliamentary and public review, so that citizens can see how their money is being used. At the same time, we will conduct an immediate public audit of all toll revenue and existing toll agreements, so that Zambia keeps the lion’s share of the money collected on our roads.”
He stated that toll gates were among Zambia’s most reliable sources of revenue, stressing that if he and CF were given the power, they would transform the country into a true industrial powerhouse.
Kalaba argued that there was need for restructuring in terms of how the country collected and invested every Kwacha to benefit Zambia first.
