Poor roads raise the question of mines taking over responsibility of local authority

16/08/2018] Shikamo Eliack: Shikamo Eliack/YAD/North western province. Local Roads. 17/8/2018.

The local roads in Solwezi are supossed to be worked in by Solwezi municipal council. Having adocacted on the proper utilization if the revenue collected from Kansanshi mine. The municipal council entered in debt swap with the cooperate which brought about an agreement were the mine road dept could work in the selected roads I the town.
Sadly the workman ship is about resurfacing g thee roads. The has left us to wonder about with regards to the quality if toads being done. For example the road In picture is the town kimasala road. Before the rains raid, already getting in a a we cindem the agrementdeplorable state.
Our demand is that thee corporate should do a road of there quality alas we declare that it was not a good agreement.
8/16/2018]

If i may ask or add a comment. I like the idea that infrastructure might now be done faster and less funds misappropriated. BUT I have a huge concern: 1. SMC is thereby contracting Kansanshi for most of the roads and other infrastructure. Solwezi has been crying for local employment and local contractor. Local construction and roads companies can not even establish themselves if even government contracts foreign companies. This is short term and resultoriented thinking. Long term development goodbye!
2. SMC gives away the responsibility of planning and accounting. They will not improve their accounting and corruption. If they even dont need to work on it. Responsibilty and power in town is even more going to the mine
3. I dont know about Zambia but by that FQM becomes the biggest contractor of roads in town, while it is actually a mining company. Does zambia have anything like a law against contractor monopolies?

Please anyone from there give me some feedback on this. I highly dislike the debt swap. Even though i see practical and fast developments. In long term i fear for Solwezi

The debt swap is the best way so far in terms of infrastructure development, the council has been receiving land rates from time the mines started operating but we have never seen what they do with the money the collect, we can not continue entrusting them with more funds, kansanshi is not working on all the projects under the debt swap, they will subcontract local contractors on some of the projects and pay them other than the funds going to the coincils where it will just be misapplied
Thank you for the reply. I definitely see your point. And i am happy about the fact that kansanshi willalso use local contractors.

I still remain in some concerns. Especially concerning power relations and accountability of councils. Wish could come for lengthly discussions

Accountability issues around the council have been out concern and that’s why this debt swap serves them better,

It takes also away the chance to encourage accountability because of not being responsible. But i see your point is more valid. Long term there has to be away for. Councils to be more accountable though to take responsibilities again