THE dusty and pothole-riddled streets of Solwezi are finally getting a long-awaited facelift, with four key township roads currently under construction, widening and rehabilitation in a project that is already changing the face of the mining town.
The works, being spearheaded by local firm JD-CON Zambia Limited, will see the roads upgraded to bituminous standard complete with solar street lights, proper drainage systems and pedestrian walkways.
Funded by the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA), the contract is valued at over K272 million and an advance payment of more than K54 million was made to kick-start the works.
The project covers a total stretch of 10.19 kilometres, including the T5 Roundabout–Solwezi Day road, Messenger–Kazomba – T5 road, Faith School–T5 road, and Stadium–Bridge road.
Speaking to #Kalemba, contract manager Dominic Ambulaya expressed pride that the entire contract had been awarded to a Zambian company and that almost all the workforce comes from within the province.
“We are very grateful that a Zambian contractor was given the contract. Everyone employed in the project is Zambian, both women and men, with the majority from Solwezi and only a few specialists from outside,” he said.
He revealed that the works are currently 20 to 25 percent complete, just two months into the schedule.
According to Ambulaya, while the official completion date is set for March 30, 2026, the contractor hopes to finish ahead of schedule to avoid disruptions from the rainy season.
While the project is progressing steadily, Ambulaya acknowledged challenges especially during the widening of certain roads where it is necessary to remove fences and some structures belonging to local residents.
He said that the success of this aspect will depend largely on the cooperation between the local authority and the affected residents.
“We have encountered some difficulties because widening the roads means we have to bring down people’s fences and other structures. How quickly this happens will depend on how the local authority negotiates and agrees with the residents,” he explained.
This project is part of broader efforts to upgrade infrastructure in Northwestern Province, which remains a critical mining hub with expanding urban demands.
Story and Pictures by George Musonda
Kalemba August 9, 2025
