Page 55 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 17

Innovate Afrika

Road , Rail and Supporting Infra- Malawi and South Africa.
structure
Botswana`s Minister of Transport
China`s first act of solidarity with and Communications, Mr Thulaga-
the newly de-colonized Zambia in no Segokgo,said :
1964, was to construct the Tan- “This state-of-the-art infrastructure
zam Railway, also called the Uhuru will among others facilitate quick
(freedom)or Tazara Railway, which access to international markets
runs from Zambia to Tanzania. through connectivity with major
Kariba North Bank hydropower, Zambia
China built 1,860km of railway seaports as well as contribute to
from Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia’s maximizing the operational effi-
capacity. Central Province to Dar es Salaam, ciency of the corridor and enhance
Tanzania`s main port.The line was regional economic integration…Our
Hydro completed in 1975. The idea was to strategic partnership in the project
assist Zambians in exporting their should enhance development and
Kariba North Bank hydropower copper reserves. London`s leaverage competitiveness of our economies
plant is a recent extension of the over the government of Kenneth to improve the prospects of attract-
Kariba Dam Hydropower Plant. Kaunda was under-estimated at the ing more private sector investment
In 2013 280MW were added and time! It would take another 47 years and create the much needed jobs.”
another 80MW in 2014. before Michael Chilufya Sata would Source:
take on the herculean task of con- http://www.dailynews.gov.bw/
Itezhi Tezhi hydroelectric project fronting corporate colonialism. news-details.php?nid=59052
( 60MW) is another of the recent
constructions which are all con- Kazungulu Bridge Mongu-Kalabo Road
tributing to increasing Zambia`s
electricity needs. This is a very important part of the This road spans the Barotse flood-
Trans-Africa North-South Corridor plain on the Zambezi River in west-
The much larger Kafue Gorge and is a road and railway bridge ern Zambia. Completed in 2016 it
Lower Hydropower Station is fund- connecting Botswana and Zambia incorporates 26 bridges and is 34km
ed mostly by China. The Chinese over the Zambezi River, currently long. It was an extremely challenging
Sinohydro Corporation have been only having a ferry service. It is construction across one of Africa`s
awarded the construction contract. 930m long and 18.5m wide.It will greatest floodplains.
It will supply 750MW which will connect Central and Southern Afri-
increase the national energy capacity ca and connect to sea ports, namely Airports
by 38%. Durban in South Africa and Mapu- Re-building of the Kenneth Kaunda
to in Mozambique. The bridge is International Airport and the new
Water Sanitation completed and once legalities of the airport at Ndola have both recently
two new border posts are finalized, been completed.
Water sanitation is an extremely it will be opened. The bridge is a The Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe
important sector of hard infrastruc- vital connection between Botswana, International Airport at Ndola was
ture. The acute lack of it in most Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, financed by China`s EXIM Bank
African countries is the greatest Democratic Republic of Congo, and designed and constructed by
cause of easily preventable diseases.
In addition, time collecting water is
an unnecessary waste of time and a The 923-me-
burden that usually falls on women tre-long (3,028
and young girls. ft) by 18.5-me-
China State Construction Engi- tre-wide (61
neering Corporation (CSCEC) has ft) bridge has a
been awarded the contract for water longest span of
129 metres (423
sanitation improvement projects ft) and links the
Zambia`s Northern Province’s two town of Kazun-
districts of Kasama and Mbala. gula in Zambia
with Botswana.

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