Poor road network hampers development in Sinazongwe – Siamunene

—UPND Sinazongwe Constituency Member of Parliament (MP), Richwell Siamunene, says the poor road network in his constituency is hampering development in the area.

And Mr Siamunene says the controversial Bottom Road, which the PF Government wants to tar, will accelerate development in Sinazongwe district once completed.

Mr Siamunene regretted that the previous government of the MMD neglected to repair the Bottom Road including other feeder roads in the area but he was quick to say the district will develop at rocket speed in the next ten years with President Michael Sata at the helm of the nation.

He was speaking to ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today.

“The only thing hampering development to accelerate is the poor road network but the coming of PF government on board will do something about it and for sure government is working round the clock on the famous Bottom Road and ten years from now, Sinazongwe will see rapid change,” Mr Siamunene said.

He added that a good road network is cardinal to the transportation of produce from the small scale farmers in Sinazongwe district.

Mr Siamunene, who is also Commerce, Trade and Industry Deputy Minister, said government will rehabilitate the feeder roads, among them the Chiyabi, Namafulu/Sinazongwe Boarder Siabasu and Sinazongwe/Sinazeze roads in order to improve the road network in the area thereby changing the welfare of the people and promoting economy activities in the district.

The Deputy Minister said once the Bottom Road is done, investors would come to settle on their own because the district is endowed with abundant coal mineral, natural resources like rivers and land as well as plenty of tourism sites.

He, however, commended Maamba Coal Mine Limited for investing in the energy sector and implored others to emulate if the country is to grow significantly.

Mr Siamunene said the influx of investors to the area would contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product which currently staggers at six per cent growth annually.