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| Works at the Mutumbi Culvets in Lusaka |
IT SEEMED like good roads were clearly out of fashion in cities countrywide.
Driving through most township roads in Lusaka, Chipata and Monze would give an impression that roads were now out of fashion in most Zambia’s township roads.
Far from it, all what was needed was commitment from Government to ensure that the roads are done.
And in 2012, Government showed commitment by embarking on an ambitious project to change the face of roads countrywide.
This ambitious road construction has now seen these township roads get a facelift and change the outlook of various residential areas in most cities countrywide.
In Lusaka, a project called L-400 was launched aimed at constructing 400 kilometres of urban roads in various townships and compounds at a cost of US$348.8 million.
“A distance that would take 20 minutes to reach your destination has now been reduced to five minutes only because the roads have been worked on,” a resident of Lusaka’s Kamwala area, Grace Ziwa said.
Ms Ziwa has commended Government for taking up the challenge to give a facelift to the township roads.
Reducing the distance between people, markets, services and knowledge or simply ‘getting people connected’ is a great part of what economic growth is all about.
Although virtual connectivity has become increasingly important today with the emergence of new communication avenues, a good and reliable transport network remains vital.
There is a very strong positive correlation between a country’s economic development and the quality of its road network.
Zambia’s urban road density had been low for decades when you look at the developing-country standards, thereby limiting the areas that are readily accessible to urban transport services and thereby restricting the mobility of residents or inhabitants in any respective area.
Urban transport services are dominated largely by informal minibus operators and taxi operators, and one common concern that these operators had was the short life span of spare parts on their vehicles.
One of the minibus operators in Lusaka, James Mwanang’ombe said improved transportation routes spur economic growth.
“Servicing vehicles is costly, and sometimes spare parts availability are a challenge. But now that the roads are done, it’s a breather for motorists and residents too,” he said.
Mr Mwanangombe said the quality of public transport was consequently poor because of the poor road network.
In Chipata, 28.5 kilometers of township road works have been done at a cost of K153 million.
Khuzwayo Jere, a resident of Mchini Township says the roads have changed the environment in the area.
“Once it rained, we could have dirty water all over the potholes and too many water borne diseases and garbage collecting in the dirty water. But now the place looks clean and it feels shameful to even throw litter on the roads now,” he said.
Mr Jere says rural development is an important cornerstone of economic transformation of any country especially as regards poverty reduction adding that road transport is a vital tool to any country’s economic sector.
He said as a farmer, a good road network connecting to markets is essential.
“Before the roads were worked on, we had potholed roads which could not easily be used to transport heavy farm equipment. The state of roads in rural areas affects the rural population’s quality of life and the ability of farmers to transfer produce to markets after harvest,” Mr Jere said.
Over the years, the farming community had not been able to achieve meaningful gain from their farming activities. This has partly been because of poor infrastructure, among them roads.
Mr Jere is happy that Government has started paying attention to the state and quality of infrastructure through the construction of tarred roads as well as through the rehabilitation of trunk roads in the district.
The scope of the township road works include, but is not limited to, the construction of earthworks, pavement layers, drainage works, surfacing of the carriageway with double surface dressing and provision road furniture and ancillary road works.
In Monze, 15 kilometres of township roads have been done at a cost of K90 million.
A resident of Hamusonde area George Mwiinde said important national goals depend on the country’s good road infrastructure.
“The economy needs reliable infrastructure to connect supply chains and efficiently move goods and services across borders. Infrastructure connects households across metropolitan areas to higher quality opportunities for employment, healthcare and education,” he said.
Mr Mwiinde said road infrastructure today is on the front line of some of the major challenges of our century and if prioritised, road infrastructure has the potential to connect and unite communities rather than segregate and displace them.
Infrastructure development is a major yardstick for economic development.
Improvements in the road network infrastructure is key in linking business activities that contribute to economic development.
Hence Government has realised that among the most important infrastructure directly linked to poverty reduction and economic development is the road network. PUBLISHED IN THE ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL ON May 29, 2016. https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=67858
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