NANCY MWAPE, Livingstone
GOVERNMENT has awarded a US$122 million tender to China National Complete Engineering Corporation for the construction of Mfuwe International Airport.
Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL) managing director Robinson Misitala said the project will be completed in two years. Negotiations on the scope of work and conceptual design are underway.
Mr Misitala said this in Livingstone yesterday shortly after touring construction works at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport, which scheduled for commissioning next month.
“Traffic for Mfuwe is still low at 30,000 passengers per year and our target is to raise the figure to 300,000 passengers per annum.
“During the rainy season when most lodges close, the airport equally stops receiving passengers. Our plan is to make Mfuwe Airport a small city by ensuring that it has adequate accommodation and other facilities to attract tourists,” Mr Misitala said.
He said design of the new airport will include a hotel and shopping mall.
ZACL has partnered with Zambia Tourism Board (ZTB) to promote domestic tourism and encourage Zambians to use air transport.
Mr Misitala said the construction of the US$60 million Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula terminal in Livingstone is almost complete.
“Harry Mwaanga is massive and beautiful with excellent facilities but utilisation is only about 20 percent. Our task is to raise utilisation level to 50 percent and this can only be achieved by enticing Zambians to move away from road transport and start flying,” Mr Misitala said.
Mr Misitala said Proflight and the coming on board of a national airline and Fast Jet Zambia will next year increase use of the airport.
You Sir are an IDIOT.Commodity prices have fallen,so therefore the way forward for Zambia is tourism and agriculture.So before you post your propaganda think first and put Zambia first instead of putting UPND first.
What is the plan for Ndola Airport, my recent visit a few months ago left me wondering how a strategic airport like Simon Kapwepwe was in such a bad state. Very embarrassing to Zambia
NEZ icilibolo kwati cakwa HH
Why did they not prioritised Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe? 3 weeks ago I was embarrassed by the comments from other foreigners while taking off.Grass is even growing between concrete slab patched as a runway.
mfuwe is more strategic in boosting tourism. just my opinion!!!
Y do people insult. The same EL yu support talks abt God n christianity all the time these days! Yu insult elderly people worth to be yo father or uncle at wat expense! Yu want to sin over people who dnt evn know no you. Pliz change God can never be happy with such kind of behaviour n may take away blessings ment for you over politics that can’t, bath you, feed nor take care of you when you r sick.
Cats you are right. I do not see the president being involved in the running of airports for him to be insulted.The decision was purely made by ZACL as the story says. Please desist from insults. Respect the President.
@Zack who has insulted the president? Are blind or you have chosen to be blind? The fool who has hailed insults here is @mp your brother in 18th of October prayers.
nt pocket that money like u did ku kk,where some people managed to steal a lot of it and bought houses in SA!God is watching you will die a painful death for stealing frm zambian people,thats not your money so let it b used for the intended purpose!
It is only a New Uneducated Zambian Fool who can under estimate the importance of tourism in a developing country. The growing importance of tourism in the global economy and international affairs tourism has become an important sector that has an impact on development of country economy. The main benefits of tourism are income creation and generation of jobs. Go back to grade 9.
So this money will go to china and yet we have local engineers that can do the same jobs. Are we that dull or incompetent that we can’t even construct or build an airport? Why can’t we build ourselves rather than relying on foreign companies have never heard of a zambian company being hired to build in china.chimanibaba
Zambian Engineers?????? Too theoretical. Nga bati bapange indeke teeti iime napo ikeele. Lol
Chainama is very much open to you. Please you are obsessed with political power, check yourself in before its too late.
IT IS STUPT 4 PF 2 CONSTRUCT A NEW AIRPORT AT MFUWE.WEN THE COUNTRY IZ IN BAD STET OF ECONOMY.