Friday, May 08, 2009

NRFA disburses K186m for Kazungula Bridge

NRFA disburses K186m for Kazungula Bridge
Written by Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Friday, May 08, 2009 5:28:33 PM

NATIONAL Road Fund Agency (NRFA) has announced that it last year disbursed about K186 million towards the Kazungula Bridge project. And works and supply permanent secretary Lt Col Bizwayo Nkunika has said pre-construction works on the project are expected to be completed this year in readiness for actual construction works expected in the first quarter of next year.

According to audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2008, NRFA stated that the disbursement to Kazungula Bridge formed part of the projects that directly benefited from its funding portfolio.

And in a recent interview, Lt Col Nkunika said the studies for the bridge to link Zambia with Botswana were advancing according to schedule.

Lt Col Nkunika said the government expected to receive a report from the consultants by the end of last month.

“So far, our projection is that our final feasibility report will be ready September and then the design report will come out in November so what we are doing now is soliciting for financial assistance from our cooperating partners,” Lt Nkunika said. “…then immediately the design is ready, we can call for bidders who can construct it and thereafter we begin construction. It is our aim that we should have the contractor on site by first quarter of next year.”

Lt Col Nkunika also said the government was currently projecting to spend about US $3 million for the feasibility and design of the bridge.

“Then we require another US $500, 000 for the transaction advisor who is going to be paid for by Zambia and Botswana because that is not part of the AfDB money,” he said.

Lt Col Nkunika also reaffirmed that the proposed bridge would be a curve link west-wards and that the distance was projected to increase by about 100 to 200 metres, increasing the initial length of the bridge from an estimated 800 metres to 1,000 metres.

Last year, Zambia and Botswana had abandoned the initial plan of constructing the Kazungula Bridge through Zimbabwe after the Southern African country unsettled some of the would be sponsors of the project owing to its collapsing economy.

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