RDA, Zhongmei Sign K243.5 Million Deal to Upgrade Roads in Copperbelt

The Road Development Agency has signed an Output and Performance-Based Road Contract (OPRC) with Zhongmei Engineering Group Limited for Package 13A on the Copperbelt Province, aimed at rehabilitating key gravel roads in Chingola and Lufwanyama districts.

Speaking during the signing ceremony held on Wednesday at the RDA Conference Room, RDA Director and Chief Executive Officer, Eng. Nelson Chuma, described the agreement as an important intervention towards addressing the long-standing poor state of roads in the two districts.

Eng. Chuma said the project would improve road infrastructure and support socio-economic development across the Copperbelt Province.

The project involves the rehabilitation of 112.2 kilometres of gravel roads, including 33.6 kilometres in Chingola District and 78.6 kilometres in Lufwanyama District.

According to Eng. Chuma, the upgraded roads are expected to improve accessibility for farming communities by easing the transportation of agricultural inputs and the movement of produce to markets, while strengthening connectivity to the broader trunk, main and district road network.

He disclosed that the project would be implemented at a contract sum of ZMW243,599,139.54 and is expected to be completed within seven months.

Eng. Chuma further revealed that the project would be financed under the USD200 million World Bank-funded Improved Rural Connectivity Project (IRCP), adding that Government was accelerating implementation of major infrastructure works under the programme ahead of its targeted completion in 2026.

He reaffirmed Government’s commitment to promoting sustainable economic growth through the construction and rehabilitation of road infrastructure, noting that roads remain critical to poverty reduction, trade facilitation, and economic transformation.

Highlighting the economic significance of Chingola District, Eng. Chuma described the area as a major mining hub anchored by the Nchanga Copper Mine, one of the world’s largest open-pit mines.

He added that Chingola plays a strategic role in regional trade through road links connecting Zambia to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Solwezi, Angola, Kitwe, Ndola and Kapiri Mposhi.

Beyond mining, he said the district possesses strong agricultural potential, with farmers producing crops such as maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, groundnuts and vegetables, alongside opportunities in livestock and fish farming.

Eng. Chuma also pointed to tourism opportunities in the district, citing attractions such as Kapisha Hot Springs, the Chimpfunshi Chimpanzee Orphanage, and the Akabashi Campsite.

Speaking on Lufwanyama District, he described it as one of the largest yet least developed districts on the Copperbelt despite accounting for nearly a third of the province’s land area.

He noted that the district has considerable agricultural potential, with local farmers supplying maize, sorghum, millet, sweet potatoes and vegetables to markets in Kitwe, Kalulushi and Ndola.

Eng. Chuma further revealed that the district hosts the Kagem Emerald Mine, which contributes approximately 20 percent of global emerald production, while copper exploration activities are also ongoing in the western part of the district.

He added that the Lunga Luswishi Game Reserve remains a tourism asset with untapped economic potential.

Meanwhile, Zhongmei Engineering Group Limited representative Mr Wu Quanbing assured Government that the company would complete the project within the agreed timeframe while delivering quality works.