27 February 2008
Ndola — PRESIDENT Mwanawasa has described the state of the railway system as shameful and directed Transport and Communication Minister, Dora Siliya to investigate why the railway line was in a dilapidated state.
Dr Mwanawasa also said Railway System of Zambia (RSZ) had failed to deliver according to pledges it made at the time of signing the concession agreement.
He said this yesterday when he swore in Ms Siliya, Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe and senior private secretary to the President, Florence Chawelwa.
Dr Mwanawasa said the railway network in the country was in a shameful condition and warned that the Government would repossess it and offer it to other interested investors.
He said he was currently studying a report on the railway system and would announce if the concession would be revoked or not after he finished studying the recommendations.
"Ms Siliya I have given you the ministry of Transport and Communication which is very important in the service delivery to the people. Your priority should be to find out why the railway system is in this situation," he said.
He said the railway line from Livingstone to Chingola had become a death trap with the destruction of the line, while wagons were in a bad state.
The President advised the new minister to meet RSZ management and find out why the company had failed to deliver because at the time of concessioning Zambia Railways (ZR) it was thought that the private sector would do better.
Dr Mwanawasa re-emphasised that he had been against Zambia liberalising the telecommunication international gateway because performance in countries that had opened up was not good.
He said even Celtel and MTN originated from countries where the international gateway was not liberalised, adding that there was need for telephone lines to reach rural areas.
Dr Mwanawasa bemoaned the poor state of the road network that had been worsened by the floods and called for prudent utilisation of funds for roads.
On Mr Munkombwe, the President said that although some people were arguing that he was too old for the ministerial position, he did not think so as he knew him as a party functionary who knew Southern Province well.
"You have penetrated Southern Province and with your experience as MMD provincial chairman you will make a good provincial minister," he said.
He also welcomed Mrs Chawelwa, saying she should not complain that there was too much work at State House.
Dr Mwanawasa said everyone at State House worked very hard because if they failed the situation would transcend to all Government departments.
Ms Siliya was until her appointment last week deputy minister at the ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry, Mr Munkombwe was Southern Province MMD chairperson, while Mrs Chawelwa was an internal auditor at the African Wildlife Foundation covering 11 countries.
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