State House has given a Chinese contractor building the US$450 million Kafulafuta Dam a two weeks ultimatum to engage Zambian contractors or face punitive action. China National Complete Engineering Corporation [CCEC] has sub-contracted to a foreign contractor to build an intake tower for the Kafubu Water and Sanitation project.

CCEC was contracted to build the Kafulafuta Dam, a project designed to improve water supply to Luanshya, Masaiti, Mpongwe and Ndola.
Special Assistant to the President for Project Monitoring and Implementation Andrew Chellah told the contractor on Monday that any breach of the National Construction Council [NCC] statute on sub-contracting works to a foreign company is a serious violation.

Mr Chellah, who was accompanied by chief analyst for project monitoring and implementation Joseph Mukupa, was also angered to learn that the dam building project is being undertaken without an engineering consultant on site. “I’m giving you two weeks to engage Zambian contractors to build the dam wall. Are you sure Zambians can fail to build a concrete wall?” an enraged Mr Chellah said, after inspecting works on the water intake tower of the dam.

“I am coming here in two weeks’ time and I should find a Zambian building this wall.” He said there are many reputable Zambian engineers capable of carrying out civil works, but are denied an opportunity by the foreign contractors. CCEC business assistant Bruce Zhu said plans are under way to engage Zambians on the project.

“We have the plans to work together with Zambians as the project is still on,” Mr Bruce said. Kafubu Water and Sewerage Company [KWSC] project engineer Paul Billima said the utility company has reinforced engineers on site to supervise works.

Mr Chellah was, however, impressed with the works carried out on the project, estimated at 20 percent. He was informed that US$177 million has been disbursed by the financier of the project and US$1.7 million has been paid out to Zambian contractors.

“The works as usual are very impressive, but the only sad part of our current inspection is of course the 20 percent policy. The penetration is very low, there are very few Zambians benefiting,” Mr Chellah said, after learning of the four local contractors.

Mr Chellah urged KWSC management to familiarise the Chinese contractor on the NCC regulation so that there is no breach of the law.