ZAMBIA- CONGO DR RAILWAY PROJECT TO CREATE MORE THAN 8000 JOBS.

BY ALEX MUKUKA
LEADER, May 18, 2017/Mansa……………..A feasibility study for the construction of a fast freight railway line to link Luapula and Northern Provinces to Lubumbashi in Congo DR will commence in September this year upon the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Zambia and Congo.

Both Luapula Province Minister Nickson Chilangwa and Luano Railway Development Project coordinator Wisdom Gondwe have confirmed the development which has cheered Mr. Chilangwa.

This came to light when a team from Luano Railway Development Project made a presentation on the scope of the project at the Provincial Minister’s office in Mansa today.

And team leader Pastor Gondwe disclosed that over 2.5 Million United States Dollars will be spent on the feasibility studies of the project this September.

He said he was positive that his company would sign a memorandum of understanding with the Government because the project has a full support of the office of the vice president and line ministries.

He added that the project has been accepted by the office of the COMESA secretary General, the Council of Ministers of the Great Lakes Region, SADC and the Zambian House of Chiefs.

Pastor Gondwe said among the chiefs who are in support of the project are King Mwatayamvo of Katanga Province in Congo DR, Paramount Chief Chitimukulu and Mwata Kazembe of the Lunda people in Luapula.

He further disclosed that his company would follow all the basic requirements of the private public partnerships which were the stage at which the project has reached.

Pastor Gondwe said the construction of the railway project would cost a total of 8 Billion United States Dollars which will cover 460 KM from Kasama to Luwingu in the first phase and Mansa to

Lubumbashi via Matanda consequently creating 8000 rural jobs at its implementation stage.
Once completed the railway line would link Kolwezi in Congo where two big copper mines are operating and the Zambian side mining project at Kalumbila.

ENDS/ AM/THE LEADER……………………………………………..