Kitwe roads rehab to boost business
By ROGERS KALERO KINGSTONE and Langashe Roads are among those to be rehabilitated under the Phase one of the Zambia Township Road project where 53km of roads will be rehabilitated in Kitwe.
Kitwe Mayor Christopher Kang'ombe said the council was presently meeting marketeers to agree on a number of things before the contractor moved on site to start road rehabilitation works on the two roads.
Mayor Kang'ombe said Kingstone Road in particular, would enhance business at Chisokone market after being rehabilitated.
“We have been given 53km under phase one of the Zambia Township Roads project to be done by Avic International and one of the roads which can enhance business at Chisokone market is Kingstone Road. So currently Kingstone Road is one way because both sides are being used for trading.
"So we had a meeting with traders from the Hardware section who trade on both sides of Kingstone Road to explain to them the importance of rehabilitating that road," Mr Kang'ombe said.
Mr Kang'ombe said meetings between the council and traders on the hardware section would continue until they agree on the terms which would be put up before the rehabilitation of the road starts.
"We want the rehabilitation of the Kingstone Road to be owned by the traders trading on the sides of Kingstone road. If they don't want the road rehabilitation to start now, it will not start.
“We can only commence the project after traders are happy with what will be happen when the road rehabilitation works starts. We don't want them to complain therefore, we are engaging them before works can start.
“The Road will continue to be One-way even after rehabilitation works," He said.
And Mr Kang'ombe has said he will remain focused in the face of various criticisms and allegations levelled against him because he wanted the best for the City of Kitwe.
Mr Kang'ombe said he would not be distracted by people accusing him of all sorts of things, but that would remain focused to ensure that the local authority improved service delivery.
The Kitwe Mayor, who is also the Local Government Association of Zambia (LGAZ) President and Patriotic Front (PF) Kitwe district chairman has been accused of selfishness by fellow councilors.
The councillors claim the mayor wants to have plots in all the 28 wards.
But, Mr Kang'ombe insisted that he would not be distracted by individuals saying bad things about him because he was a focused person.
“Despite these allegations levelled against me, I will not be distracted, but I will remain focused because I want the best for Kitwe. People will say all sorts because they are entitled to their own opinions," Mr Kangombe said.