Government has vowed to revive and revamp the Country’s railway and aviation sectors that have been facing challenges in the past, and that the country will benefit greatly from the current huge investments, minister of Transport and Communication Mutotwe Kafwaya has said.
He stated that government has been investing heavily in reviving the railway and aviation sectors, which have not performed to expectations in recent years. The Minister said developing the two sectors will go a long way in the country’s efforts to achieve sustainable development. Kafwaya was speaking to the media on January 27 2020 in Lusaka.
‘‘We want to ensure that the railway sector, the aviation industry and the telecommunication sectors are well developed,’’ he said. The Transport Minister added that government has set targets to ensure the development of railway and aviation sectors in line with the country’s national development Plan.
Zambia’s aviation industry has been struggling since the demise of the country’s sole national carrier, the Zambia Airways, in 1994 and the lower investment levels in airport infrastructure. Government has been engaged in various efforts to revive the sector and entered into a strategic partnership with the Ethiopian Airlines in 2018 to re-launch the southern African nation’s national carrier.
The government has also invested heavily in the development of Livingstone’s Harry Mwaanga Nkubula International Airport which is now completed. The other massive investment in airport infrastructure projects are the US$360 million Lusaka’s Kenneth Kaunda International Airport upgrade and the US$397 million Copperbelt’s Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport which are both currently under construction.
The Minister further said efforts to revamp the railway sector have involved improving the railway infrastructure to raise efficiency and win back business taken by the road sector. This has been achieved by an SI which have seen the sector get bulk cargo back on the railway lines in Zambia.
