President Edgar Lungu launches the Kafue Bulk Water Supply Project

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu yesterday launched the US$150 million Kafue Bulk Water Supply Project which will see improved water supply for The Greater City of Lusaka and surrounding areas.

In a speech delivered on his behalf by Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda at the ground breaking ceremony today, President Lungu disclosed that 600 hundred jobs will be created during the construction phase of the 66 Km pipeline from Kafue to Lusaka.

“The project will see the construction of a new raw water abstraction station on Kafue River, a water treatment plant, a 66 Km treated water pipeline from Kafue to Lusaka, and a booster station in Chilanga,” said the President.

Access to safe drinking water is one of the key issues in the proposed Bill of Rights for the August 2016 Referendum.

“The project we are launching today is one of the steps we are taking to achieve this right, I therefore urge you all to vote YES in the referendum” he said.

The government of the Republic of Zambia will contribute US $22.5 million as counterpart funding while the bulk of the financing will be obtained from the Chinese government through EXIM Bank of China.