By NCHIMUNYA MIYOBA
The opposition Rainbow party has challenged local authorities to wake up and work on the dilapidated roads in the country.
Rainbow party Copperbelt Provincial Chairperson Fewdays Nsensema said the local authorities doted around the country should take road maintenance seriously.
Mr Nsensema said most of the roads in the country have dangerous potholes that have become life threatening to the road users.
He said maintaining the roads will prolong the life span of the roads and extend the durability of the roads than construction new roads which he says is expensive venture to embark on.
“It is disheartening to see that some roads on the Copperbelt have developed serious potholes which are a danger to the communities and road users. The councils need to wake up to avoid loss of life and save on money in building new roads,” he said.
“Most roads on the Copperbelt are in a deplorable state because councils have developed a non-reactive stance on the issue. As Rainbow Party we demand that local authorities start doing their work and maintain the roads. It will be expensive for them to build new roads if these roads are left in the state they are,” he said.
And Mr Nsensema has urged the Road Development Agency RDA to be vigilant and work on the high way roads which he said have serious potholes hence endangering the lives of people traveling.
Meanwhile reacting to Mr Nsensema, Kitwe Mayor Christopher Kang’ombe said the maintenance of roads in the city is on course.
Mr Kang’ombe said the council is currently patching up roads in the city despite being the rain season which makes it difficult using local revenue generated by the council.
He said that despite the legal provision stating that the National Road Fund Agency NRFA and the Road Development Agency will be giving councils K150,000 every month for road maintenance, Kitwe City council has not run away from the expected obligation of maintaining roads in the city.
“While it is the responsibility of the NRFA and RDA to be giving councils K150,000 every month, Kitwe council has the liability to do what they can using local generated resources. Because money never comes, the council relies on local revenue to patch up the roads,” he said.
