LUAPULA PROVINCE MINISTER DIRECTS COUNCILS TO PROCURE EARTH-MOVING EQUIPMENT USING CDF.

 

Luapula Province Minister Eng. Nason Musonda has instructed all local authorities in the province to immediately prioritize the procurement of earth-moving equipment using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), in line with a Presidential directive on decentralized road maintenance.

Speaking during the Fourth Quarter Provincial Development Coordinating Committee (PDCC) meeting held in Mansa on Tuesday morning, Eng. Musonda said there is no justification for councils to delay the acquisition of graders, tipper trucks and other essential equipment, warning that all councils must have a full set by the first quarter of 2026.

“The New Dawn Administration has decentralized governance. It is now the responsibility of councils to ensure they procure earth-moving equipment. There is no excuse,” Eng. Musonda said.

The Provincial Minister cited Kawambwa District as a practical example, saying the council has within a short period acquired two brand-new motor graders, tipper trucks, an excavator, a roller compactor and a water bowser through CDF, enabling year-round maintenance of feeder and selected trunk roads.

“With this equipment, we cannot talk about being cut off. Even during the rainy season, we are working because we have the machinery,” he said.

Eng. Musonda expressed concern that some councils, including Milenge and Samfya, are yet to acquire a complete set of equipment, despite having adequate resources under CDF.

“Logic demands that you prioritise roads before anything else. You cannot talk about pontoons or other projects when there is no road to reach them,” he said.

He directed councils to realign their priorities and accelerate procurement processes, stressing that improved road connectivity is critical to economic activity, service delivery and rural development.

The Provincial Minister emphasized that with CDF allocations set to increase to K40 million per constituency in 2026, councils must shift focus from limited annual road works to opening up thousands of kilometres of feeder roads across Luapula Province.

Eng. Musonda said strict oversight will be applied to ensure full compliance with the directive, adding that improved road infrastructure remains a cornerstone of President Hakainde Hichilema’s development agenda.

By Evans Sinjela

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