M’MEMBE QUESTIONS GOVT ON TOLL GATE FUNDS
….where does the money go if the government can’t maintain & rehabilitate the roads?
Lusaka… Monday September 9, 2024
The government should tell the nation where the money collected from toll gates go if they are failing to carry out maintenance works on the roads, Socialist Party President Dr Fred M’membe has charged.
Dr. M’membe argues that the purpose of having toll gates and collecting the fees from motorists is aimed at maintaining the roads to be in good shape.
“We have money collected from toll gates. We were made to believe that the money being collected from toll gates is for the maintenance of the roads. Today we have private companies coming in to run the biggest road, and they are going to collect a lot of money. Part of the money is for profits, part of it to maintain the road. We are ready to pay and allow them to collect so much from our people and make profits and go away with it,” he stated.
“We are collecting money from our people who are driving on these roads but we can’t even patch a pothole. Where does that money go? Today you want even the contractors of this dual carriage way (Lusaka – Ndola) to start collecting toll gate money on the road that they have not built, on the road that was built by the tax payers money and still it still maintained by the Zambian tax payers money.”
Meanwhile, Dr. M’membe has bemoaned the poor state of most roads in the country saying it is difficult to move goods and human beings.
He said he has traveled across the country and most roads are in bad shape.
He is against the deception of road construction for electioneering.
“The construction of roads has to be a systematic and deliberate approach. It shouldn’t be an election driven road infrastructure development program. It must be roads that serve the development needs of the people. It must be roads that serve our people and not for votes?
Mmembe on what basis or who are you quoting in Government as having made this statement?
“go if they are failing to carry out maintenance works on the roads, Socialist Party President Dr Fred M’membe has charged”
1. Government not just this one but prior governments have statute that guides the establishment of toll gates and the manner these funds are to be used.
2. This government is on record and there has been a conflicting outcry of contractors that have performed nor supplied what the contracts entered into stipulate. There are and have been contracts that have been disputed and are under audit of services or maintaince of roads that have either been over priced or unjustified or never been performed yet invoiced for government or its agencies to pay.
3. Under the law a financing arrangement is provided for to build roads/highways using funds from toll gate fees.
Recently we have learned of the same contractor under PF being contracted to do the Lusaka Ndola dual highway.(Avic). The same contractor is doing aspects of the Lusaka Ndola dual highway at a fraction of the cost? While the mode of finance may have changed. The payments have been mutally agreed by the parties involved for the benefit of the Zambian people at a significantly lower cost.
One begs to ask, if this is interest and benefit of Zambians what is your problem, Mr. Mmembe? Whose interest do you serve when you raise the questions you raise that have no bearing of what is already in motion?
For someone who had an institution that was closed for tax evasion, Mmembe you have no right to question anyone on the issue. If anything you have been convicted in our eyes for this crime and in some countries you should have been in imprison and a convict.
So lets not be hypocritical and belabour a question that you raise as it only aims to stir a “pot” and one that you seek to direct a narrative that lacks basis or content but just a detraction which we have learnt that is all you are. No substance but detraction.
So please stop wasting time with trivialities. If you want us to take seriously, get to the real issue that you want to bring out. Lets not teether around issues with “dog whistles” attempts to stir a “pot”. You are just beating about the bush here. Get to your point as this article has no point.
Mmee mbee, what was the answer from adada who borrowed from China?
He will give you a good answer when he is drunk! Liaise with him.
Ask ECL
The Zambian people ask why you are an assh0le
Is that all you can talk about? When it is so obvious that this government is channeling funds to the right causes? Zambians have been Asking you, ‘WHY DID YOU EVADE ZRA TAXES? SHERE DID YOU TAKE THE MONEY YOU BORROWED FROM DBZ OR WHATEVER INSTITUTIONS TO BUY PLANES FOR ZAMBIAN AIRWAYS AFTER BUYING A CHEAP B737-200 WHICH CAN’T EVEN SELL FOR A SONG NOW? WHY DIDN’T YOU PAY THE MAJORITY FORMER WORKERS THEIR TERMINAL BENEFITS?
DID YOU PAY THE FORMER POST NEWSPAPER WORKERS?
FROM THE ABOVE, YOU SHOULD BE THE LAST PERSON TO TRY AND JUMP ON THE TRAIN OF LEADERSHIP IN ZAMBIA.
IF THERE ARE ANY LEAKAGES IN FUNDS FROM TOLL GATES, ASK PF, JUST LIKE YOU SHOULD ASK THEM ABOUT NHIMA AND WHY THEY FOUGHT SILVIA MASEBO FROM FHE ONSET BECAUSE THEY KNEW SHE WOULD UNCOVER THEIR SCHEME TO SYPHON FUNDS THROUGH THAT, AND SHE DID. AS LONG AS THAT SCHEME WAS UNCOVERED, THAT LOOPHOLE SHALL BE CLOSED SOON.
Tell us where you can take the money when voted into power. Since you don’t know
He is going to do exactly what he and others like him did at the Post, DBZ, InvestTrust and Zambian Airways. Fleece. That is what the “ruling class” do to Proletariates in his animal farm scheme. Isnt what his mentors do…Maduro, Putin?