The official opening of the Kazungula Bridge and one-stop border post facilities is scheduled for the 10th May 2021, the Ministry of Transport and Communications has announced.
The construction of the bridge over the mighty Zambezi River commenced in December 2014, and the final inspection was undertaken by the Minister of Transport and Communications, Honourable Thulagano Merafe Segokgo and his Zambian counterpart, Minister for Infrastructure, Honourable Vincent Mwale in October 2020. The Government Facebook page said in a statement this week that the project signifies the thriving bilateral relations the two countries have enjoyed over time.
The Bridge and its associated works are expected to ease access to international markets through connectivity with major seaports. It is also expected to help to maximise the operational efficiency of the SADC north-south corridor, thus enhancing regional economic integration. The One-Stop Border facilities will significantly cut down the time it takes to transport freight and passengers due to improved border management operations. Following the devastating impacts of COVID-19, the Kazungula Bridge is anticipated to boost prospects of attracting more private sector investment, promote the tourism sector and contribute to the advancement of the quality of life of the communities in the region.
Kazungula Bridge profile
Package 1 is the bridge, which is designed as an extra-dosed road-rail bridge to accommodate a future railway line that will link Mosetse-Kazungula in Botswana to Kazungula-Livingstone in Zambia (single carriageway for motor vehicles, single railway track and pedestrian walkways on both sides). The Bridge has specifications of length 18.5m width and a span arrangement of 923m. This package also includes an approach road on the Botswana side of 302m and 416m on the Zambia side.
Packages 2 and 3 are the One-Stop-Border Post (OSBP) facilities on the Botswana and Zambia side respectively. Each package consists of a passenger terminal, vehicle inspection building, freight inspection building, truck transit offices (entry and exit), health inspection building and veterinary offices, among others. The packages also cater for internal circulation roads and parking facilities for buses, trucks and light motor vehicles as well as access roads to the new border posts.
Funding
- The construction supervision was awarded to the Kazungula Bridge Consultants-Joint Venture comprising of Nippon Koei Co. Ltd., Chodai Co. Ltd., Gibb (Pty) Ltd, Bothakga Burrow Botswana (Pty) Ltd, CPP Botswana (Pty) Ltd and Zulu Burrow Development Consultants Ltd at USD 15, 726, 755.00 and was funded by JICA.
- Package 1: equally funded by both the Governments of Botswana and Zambia. The contract was awarded to Daewoo Engineering and the Construction budget was originally set at USD 161 961 304.84, which was revised to USD 174 184 799.54 to incorporate the 16% VAT component from the Government of the Republic of Zambia.
- Package 2, One-Stop Border Post Botswana was funded by JICA exclusive of VAT while the the Botswana Government funded the VAT component. The contract was awarded to Zhong Gan Engineering & Construction at a cost of BWP 440, 116, 275.30.
- Package 3, One-Stop Border Post Zambia is funded by AfDB. The contract was awarded to Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Group Co. Ltd at ZMW 263, 670, 419.98.
Source: BWGOVT Facebook page
For more information please contact:
Ministry of Transport and Communications
Public Relations Office
Email: mtcpro@gov.bw website: www.gov.bw
Phone: +267 361 2000 / 2013 / 5553
