CHIEF Mumena of North - Western Province has called on government to invest in a rail system between the Copperbelt and Solwezi to save the road system from further damage following the increased mining activities in the province.

And Moomba Member of Parliament, Vitalis Mooya has backed the calls by Chief Mumena for government to invest in a rail line saying the current road system connecting the North western province was only meant for light vehicles and not the heavier vehicles.

Chief Mumena has bemoaned the poor state of the Solwezi – Chingola road and has since appealed to government to rehabilitate the road.

And former Vice President, Enock Kavindele said the daily fatal accidents on the Chingola – Solwezi road make it imperative for government to invest in a rail line that would transport copper concentrates for mines like Lumwana and Kansanshi.

In an interview, Chief Mumena observed that with the mining activities that are beginning to take shape in the area, there is need for a rail line to carry heavy goods so that the roads can be safeguarded.
He said the construction of a rail line from Solwezi through to Mwinilunga District would help in safeguarding the roads in the area.

The traditional leader argued that the Solwezi – Chingola road was currently in bad state because it was carrying heavy goods when it was not designed to do so.

He said even bridges in the area needed attention if they were to support the transportation of heavy goods that will be used by mines that are coming up in the area.

Chief Mumena named the cardinal bridges that need attention as Maheba, Mutanda, Solwezi, Kifubwa and Lunga.

“There is need for the construction of a rail line from Solwezi through to Mwinilunga. Heavy haulage must be in the rail,” he said.

And the traditional leader has bemoaned the poor state of the Solwezi - Chingola Road. He observed that the state of the road had been worsened by too much traffic adding that it was not designed to handle vehicles that are carrying heavy goods.

“The Solwezi - Chingola Road is in a poor state because there is so much traffic. The design of the road is not for the type of traffic that is on the road that is why the number of accidents on the road has increased,’ he said.

He has since called on government to urgently work on the road and broaden it to upgrade the road. Chief Mumena also called on government to conduct fresh assessments of the road and bridges in the area.

“Thank God we have seen the completion of Lumwana using the same roads and bridges but can they continue to bear the weight? We need fresh assessments so that they are not a hazard,” he said.

Mooya said Chief Mumena was right that the road needed to be upgraded. He said the road was designed to handle light vehicles but was now handling heavy vehicles because of the mining activities taking place in the province.

“I agree with the Chief’s comments that originally the road was meant for light vehicles but today there are heavier vehicles using the road using road due to mining activities in the area,” he said.

Mooya expressed concern that the country continued to spend too much money repairing the same road instead of just upgrading it.

“I don’t even know if these truck owners even help in rehabilitating these roads,” he wondered.

He has since joined calls for the construction of a rail line for bulk carrying. He urged the government to redesign and reconstruct the Chingola – Solwezi road so that it could be able to carry heavy loads as per the Zambian law.

“Anything heavier or exceeding the allowable loads should be transported by rail hence the urgent need of constructing the first North - Western Railway to link Chingola to Solwezi and the rest of the mining areas in the province,” he said.

Former Vice President and North Western rail systems Chairman, Kavindele said companies like Lumwana and Kansanshi should use the rail system to transport copper concentrates. He explained that the Chingola Solwezi road was narrow and not convenient to carry heavy loads.

“Last week when we were in Solwezi we noticed that each time two trucks met (on the Chingola – Solwezi road) one had to get off the road to give way to the other truck. The road is too narrow,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kavindele has said the case involving the North Western rail line and government is still in court.