Last year, the Zambian government, through the Road Development Agency (RDA), awarded a concession to Borderway Investment Company to upgrade the 111km Solwezi-Kipushi Road and border infrastructure under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
A check on the Chinese company Borderway Capital Investment limited revealed that it was backed by China Hainan Construction Limited, another construction company that had been active in Zambia but no longer visible.
At the time of the PPP deal award, it was announced that these new awards were very financially and experienced companies that would resume construction at the end of the immediate past rainy season.
As the rain season was drawing to the close in April, amid growing public interest, the Zambian Business Times (ZBT) followed up on the project’s status.
First, ZBT contacted Solwezi East Member of Parliament, Hon. Dr. Alex Katakwe, who told ZBT in that full-scale construction would begin once the rainy season was over, expecting that the pending finalization of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and financial closure would be closed out, with works expected to begin in May.
Now, with May well underway and the rain season excuse totally dimissed, ZBT sought clarity from RDA on Borderway Capital Investment’s preparedness.
When contacted RDA Chief Communications Manager Anthony Mulowa initially promised a response but has since gone silent. Efforts to follow up and get even contact details of the country representative behind Borderway Capital Investments limited have proved futile.
Further to the failed comfirmations from RDA and the MP, ZBT proceeded to engage he Solwezi District Commissioner who claimed to be unaware of any progress, while the Mushindamo Town Council confirmed that no work had commenced, redirecting all inquiries back to RDA.
With the “rain excuse” off the table and neither the contractor nor the authorities forthcoming, the lack of transparency has only heightened public concerns if this PPP deal was indeed viable and the parties awarded are serious with securing financing as well as engaging with their concerned stakeholderd.
Is the Solwezi-Kipushi road PPP project stalling before it even starts? Was this deal meant to simply hoodwink the people of North Western Province and Zambia at large? Only time will tell.
The $145 million project, to be implemented under a PPP arrangement, also includes the development of a modern one-stop border post at Kipushi to facilitate cross-border trade more efficiently.
A boarder like Kipushi would open up trading opportunities for the people of North Western Province as well as open up a large market for Agriculture and livestock in the Eastern DRC.
If one looks at the payback potential of this road, it’s one that even the government could afford to fund directly and reap back the investment through toll gates, expansive trade opportunities for Zambians and excessive border taxes and fees collections by ZRA
