Kazungula Bridge is complete, what next?

CONSTRUCTION of the US$260 million Kazungula Bridge in southern Africa is complete.

Package one of the project, comprising the bridge proper and approach ramps, is complete; package two, being Botswana’s one-stop border post, currently under construction at a cost of US$38,4 million, is at 98,44% with completion expected end of this month; and package three, Zambia’s one-stop border post, ongoing at a contract sum of about US $13,1m, is at 99,4%.

The Kazungula Bridge project is a multi-national project in the north-south corridor and is part of an infrastructure improvement programme that covers the whole corridor.

The project includes a bridge linking Botswana and Zambia over the Zambezi River to replace the existing ferry, and a one-stop border facility at Kazungula.

The bridge is expected to significantly improve trade infrastructure of the Southern African Development Community and the African continent as a whole.

One-stop border facilities will be erected in both countries with a 930-metre-long and 18,5-metre-wide road-rail bridge.

The bridge would provide vital transport infrastructure on that corridor as it would facilitate easy access to intra-regional trade and international market through connectivity with major sea ports.

Kazungula got to be constructed because of our obstinate leaders.

Our roads were in bad shape and many truckers who passed through our country complained about the bad state of our roads, with bickering for tenders taking us years back.

The Harare-Beitbridge Highway became a death trap a long time ago, and government did not bother to rehabilitate the road on time.

This widening and rehabilitation we are seeing now is a reaction to the construction of the Kazungula Bridge.

But the damage is already done. It’s not only our roads, our exorbitant taxes as well have chased away many road users.

We have always complained about the numerous and very high taxes, but no one listens.

It’s the same with our fuel, which is being diluted such that a full tank covers half the distance it is supposed to.

So where to now? How do we market ourselves again?

Food for thought.