President Banda heads for the Copperbelt

LUSAKA, August 18, 2011, –Republican President, Rupiah Banda will on Saturday leave for the Copperbelt Province where he is expected to commission the rehabilitated urban roads in Kitwe.

The commissioning ceremony will be held in collaboration with Mopani Copper Mines, which has carried out the rehabilitation works on selected urban roads in Copperbelt towns.

President Banda’s Government recently embarked on a programme to rehabilitate key urban roads in various districts in Lusaka Province, the Copperbelt and parts of Central Province. The Copperbelt towns are Ndola, Kitwe, Mufulira, Chingola, Kalulushi, and Chililambobwe.

This urban road works project are expected to compliment the works outlined in the road Development Agency (RDA) 2011 annual work plan and are being coordinated by the various road sector agencies under the Ministry of works and Supply, with the use of equipment from the rural roads unit and the Zambia National Service.

While in Kitwe, President Banda is on Saturday expected to hold his first political rally in the copper-mining province following the filing of nominations for next month’s tripartite elections. The President will also tour parts of Copperbelt rural, including Luanshya.

The Presidential delegation will include senior MMD officials. President Banda will be expected back in Lusaka after concluding the scheduled business on the Copperbelt.

This is according to a statement from the public relations unit at state house.

PRESIDENT BANDA COMMISSIONS MBESUMA BRIDGE, KASAMA-MBESUMA ROAD

KASAMA, Wednesday, August 17, 2011, –Republican President, Rupiah Banda, today, commissioned works on the construction of the Mbesuma Bridge and the Kasama-Mbesuma Road at a total cost of K320 billion.

The President also commissioned the completed Kasama-Luwingu Road which has cost K240 billion and will enhance connectivity between Luapula and Northern provinces, and open up the area to other parts of the country and neighboring countries.

Construction of the Mbesuma Bridge will cost approximately K50 billion and will take 15 months to compete while the 110-kilometre-long Kasama-Mbesuma Road will be upgraded at a contract sum of approximately K270 billion with a duration of two years.

The President said Government was confident that the contractor, China Geo Engineering, will deliver a quality road to the expectation of the Zambian people.

Once completed, the road and the bridge will bring immense benefits to Zambia in general and the local people of Northern Province in particular.

Apart from the road projects commissioned yesterday, President Banda’s Government, through the Road Development Agency, has also procured contractors to:

• upgrade the Kasama-Mporokoso road to bituminous standard at a cost of over K420 billion with the contractor expected to mobilise in the next few weeks; and

• tar the Mbala-Nakonde road, at a cost of over K800 billion kwacha.

The Head of State noted that countrywide infrastructure development has been on his Government’s priority list in the quest to drive the country’s agenda forward.

This year alone, President Banda has commissioned the rehabilitation of the Chipata-Lundazi Road in Eastern Province, the Isoka-Muyombe Road here in Northern Province and urban roads on the Copperbelt and Lusaka provinces.

“This is an indication that we are moving on the right track in terms of delivering economic development and improving the quality of life of our people, especially in rural areas. These achievements need to be celebrated and guarded jealously. My Government promises to do even more in the next five years,” the President said.

PRESIDENT BANDA COMMISSIONS KASAMA POLICE HOUSES

LUSAKA, tuesday, August 16, 2011– Republican President, Rupiah Bwezani Banda, has reiterated Government’s commitment to the resolution of housing problems in the police service countrywide.

When he officially commissioned new police houses in Kasama, the President said houses for police staff had been successfully constructed in Ndola, Livingstone, Chipata and Kasama as practical demonstrations of good progress in addressing accommodation shortages affecting men and women in uniform.

Noting that police officers were working hard to ensure internal peace and security, the President said: “Government is committed to ensuring that police operations are conducted with minimal difficulties in all the districts of the country. Whilst improving public access to law and justice, we want to build a police service anchored on professionalism and integrity within the broad framework of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

Mr Banda said Zambia had seen a period of sustained economic growth that had provided the basis for continued prosperity. This had arisen from the effective implementation of sound macro-economic policies and on-going structural reforms across all sectors of the economy.

Government was working to ensure increased public confidence in law enforcement agencies around the country, and to that end had made great strides in supplying police with equipment and logistical requirements.

“At the same time, I realize that the law enforcement officers need to operate in an environment of hope and motivation while marking the future clearly. We want to build a legacy of a better, more productive and community-responsive police service,” the President said.

This is according to a statement from the State House public relations unit.