November 28, 2008
Former Sports minister Gabriel Namulambe said on Wednesday that local contractors were charging as high as K400 billion for the construction of the grand stand.
Contributing to the motion on the second report of the committee on Government assurances, Namulambe said Government wanted to empower local contractors but they were a disappointment.
Namulambe who is former Minister of Sport, Youth and Child Development, was disappointed that when Government advertised the bids for the rehabilitation of the stadium, the bids by some local contactors were as high as K400 billion
He said other local contractors’ bids were K260 billion and yet the construction of the ultra modern stadium in Ndola by the Chinese would only cost K210 billion.
He also said Government spent K200 billion on the rehabilitation works at the Konkola Stadium in Chililabombwe.
“When Zambian contractors are bidding, we should think like Zambians because this infrastructure is for all of us. The local contractors should be reasonable as they make these bids,” Namulambe said.
He was however confident that the facility would be ready before the 2011 All-Africa Games.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
View of Grand stand Area which has been demolished at Independence Stadium
The work on the slab were the artificial turf will be layed has been completed
The Electronic Scoreboard at the 44 year old independence stadium
Gabon Disaster Memorial burial site.This is were the Galant KK 11 are resting.
The Zambian Public have been longing for an ultra modern Stadia….behind Coach Patrick Phiri is Tanzania’s new National Stadium. It is a 60,000 seater built by the Chinese and it was opened in 2007. The same model will be built in Ndola though it will 40,000 seater and works have already started.Recently the Zamfoot crew checked the site in Ndola along Kitwe-Ndola road. There’s very little which has been done on the site.
Grandstand and VIP Area has been demolished for a new structure.But the open wings will just undergo rehabilitation.
An Entry and Exit Point which has been used for the 30 years or so
An Outside view an Entry and Exit Point
41 Comments on "Local contractors irk Namulambe"
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Chairman on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 11:41 AM
It is really a sad story how this country has handled the construction of sports infrastructure. we seem to be just good at demomolishing what we have than at planning and building new structures. But now government should show us political will instead of complaining about the few available contractors. The country, especially the capital needs decent sports infrastructure urgently. Why must we not seek the services of contractors from outside if indeed they will be cheaper?
BaChairman on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 11:49 AM
It is really a sad story how this country has handled the construction of sports infrastructure. we seem to be just good at demomolishing what we have than at planning and building new structures. But now government should show us political will instead of complaining about the few available contractors. The country, especially the capital needs decent sports infrastructure urgently. Why must we not seek the services of contractors from outside if indeed they will be cheaper?
Georgia Russia on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 11:59 AM
200 billion on konkola stadium,wat for,goverment is not just serious over the construction of stadia,local contractor shud not be blamed.its shud not take over one year to tender bids for construction
chamwe kaira in Windhoek on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 1:01 PM
If the Chinese are cheaper, why even tender?
Willi-C on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 1:02 PM
Am one of thoz who believes that whoever is offering the best deal must get the job, domestic or foreign. Time to baby sit our brothers (local companies) is long gone. They should be able to competitively bid for a job based quality, price and hardwork. Otherwise we shall continue baby sitting them to the grave of all of us. ‘Nangu kulilapo ifyabuteko’, thats crazy!
They charge alot, they never complete a job, and if by luck they complete, its after centuries and its sub-standard. No, guys! lets learn to be normal business men and women, ala!
Billy on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 1:04 PM
I cant also believe that govt. spent 200 billion kwacha on rehabilitation of Konkola stadium. It doesnt look like it. Zambians have been failed by political authorities for the past 44 years. This time we should be boasting of atleast 4 good stadia in the country. We should not even be talking about stadia. it should have been a thing of the past. Even the construction of independence stadium NOW is all because of the All-Africa games. Lets be serious for once in the way we manage our country. This is the only Zambia we have and we should be proud of it by developing and investing in infrastructure. Its not only stadia and other sports facilities, but also schools, hospitals and roads. The politicians have failed us.
When there is a bye election, a conference and other political activities, you’ll see how money flows. But when it come to infrastructure development, its another story. Its extremely sad indeed.
Willi-C on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 1:10 PM
And ba Minister, K200 billion for Konkola Stadium was a very bad precedence. Is this how we disrespect government money even as ministers? Its a shame to even mention this in parliament. You shud ‘ve said “we were charged K200billion but we refused to pay”, who wants to hear about instances of your lack of proper judgement? Bwafya!
chamwe kaira in Windhoek on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 1:14 PM
I think ZDM got figures wrong, It can’t be 400 billion.
Emmanuel on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 2:07 PM
Pabwaato things can change.
Seen from afar on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 3:18 PM
Thanks for the update Zamfoot. Let all Zambians together call for the building work to begin. Usually there are set backs, but we haven’t even started yet and still wait to encounter even more set backs. Come on Zed. Let’s be ready to pay the price and not cut, but we hope that would mean we are buying good quality and on time!?!?
Bola Panshi on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 3:41 PM
If K200billion is worth what will be set up then give the contract to the best bidder. What we need is to see works done and done PROPERLY and PROFESSIONALLY. Govt has already set a standard with the expenditure at Konkola (which does not interpret to what we see though). It is because of the bidders being aware of how much Govt spent in Chingola and now they quote higher for independence stadium.
WE WANT THAT STRUCTURE FINISHED A.S.A.P. Im scared of the fact that soon we might hear of the artificial turf either going bad or being vandalised and that will be the “death sentence” for our “theater of dreams” (indipondo).
Bola Panshi on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 3:55 PM
Thanks for the update Zamfoot though It pains to see OUR independence stadium like that. Otherwise the picture of the would be grand stand looks good.
Joseph Chimpampwe on Sat, 29th Nov 2008 11:14 AM
Ba Hu Jintao (China) bana tugonga. 2 years ago we were promised this Ndola Stadium and to date i hear they’ve only taken soil samples to China-sounds like minerals prospecting! Maybe we should have just gone the TAIWAN way as they’d have done it in a year with a zeal to impress-but who cares as at the end of the day we’d have a worthwhile stadium. INFESTORS are always our best friends. What ALL AFRICA GAMES? Incompetent chaps like Namulambe want us to believe that we will be ready for the games. The simple question i,ll ask is “Will our dilapidated Olympic swimming pool, seemingly our best be able to host the games? It’s like all of us Zambians were born from the same mother whose job was to only bear children with chimbwi no plan!This visionless Namulambe was more of a soccer minister trying to impress his one time idols when he was somewhere in Masaiti i think. Just shut up and enjoy your pension that you don’t deserve. Hon Chipungu i shall soon invade you with solutions on Sports administration as unlike Namulambe we don’t want you lamenting after you,ve left the office but to give us a resume of your achievements. Having dealt with you as DC Chongwe, I have every hope that you will do it. Hey, let me go and get ready to go and watch the Tanzania-Sudan game at a worthwhile National Stadium here that is worth my money than in my homeland where i have to go with something to sit on to avoid my pants being dirty-WE ARE A CURSED LOT. Food for thought-IT TOOK 30 DAYS TO ERECT INDEPENDENCE STADIUM IN 1964, YET IT HAS TAKEN ALMOST IF NOT MORE THAN 2 YEARS TO ERECT A SIMPLE GRANDSTAND?????????????????????????????????????????????
AS on Sat, 29th Nov 2008 12:05 PM
Our politicians never stop to amaze me. The government gives incentives to foreign contractors sch as importing plant from outside at duty free and hence the Chinese contractors will be cheaper because their inputs in the construction are cheaper compared to poor a Zambian contractor who will have more expensive plant to use.
The govt is not empowering locals, that’s it. What do you expect?
jc on Sat, 29th Nov 2008 1:51 PM
Thanks Zamfoot. I think that Government should have used this opportunity of hosting the all africa games to put up a modern structure at Independence. Just working on the grand stand is not what this country needs. The whole structure should have been pulled down and a modern one like the one in Tanzania constructed. Are we surely serious about hosting an international event of that magnitude at independence stadium. Nalubambe is also to blame for not providing leadership on this project when he was sports minister. He has travvelled to other countries and seen how national stadia looks like. The cost should not be the issue, but rather the product.
Ba Ole on Sun, 30th Nov 2008 8:28 PM
Ba Chimpampwe, you are very right. Ba nyandule bagwesa ziko pansi.
Onzuna on Mon, 1st Dec 2008 2:51 PM
Kushe is it a curse on Zambia?.Why is it difficult to build a new stadium while money has been seen being wasted on the Mung’omba Constitutional review and now the National Costitutional Conference?.Do we have priorities?.God redeem us!