|
 The
Good
We are noticing a few Kwacha prices coming down. Coca-Cola for one
and taking a walk around Castle Supermarket in Makeni, many of their
prices have come down considerably. Well done also to Castle who
have invested in a generator so that when they experience what now
seems to be regular powercuts, business does not come to a
standstill.
A new fuel station, under Continental Oil, has opened at the
junction of the Great North and Copperbelt Road at Kapiri. If you
need to use any ablution facilities whilst travelling in this area,
this is the place to stop. There is a charge (K500) but well worth
it as the bathrooms are spotless and well kept.
What a pleasure to be able to travel around the country with only
the odd road block on the road. Makes the trip a lot more
pleasureable.
The Bad
Recently, whilst travelling to Livingstone, after dark, one of the
intercity buses came up behind us, with their lights on bright,
blinding us. As we were picking our way through the potholes on the
Zimba Livingstone stretch, we moved over to the right of the road.
The driver of the bus did not see any reason to slow down and calmly
passed us on the left. The fact that there was a truck coming
towards us was of no concern to this driver. Fortunately, there was
sufficient time for the bus to pass and for us to get back onto the
left side of the road.
Whilst in Livingstone, we were walking down the road one evening to
one of Livingstone restaurants. As we were crossing the road, a bus
turned into this street, and did not even attempt to slow down.
Almost the same thing happened on our way back when we were walking
along what is supposed to be the pavement at the bus station. If we
had not jumped out of the way, we would certainly have been knocked
over. The registration numbers of these buses have been sent to the
Department of Transport.
The Ugly
Although I haven’t been down there myself, I have received reports
that major repair work will be starting shortly on the
Kafue/Chirundu road. Not a moment too soon. However, I am advised
that the preparation work that has been done on the detour roads
leads much to be desired. This is a treacherous piece of road at the
best of times. It is also an extremely busy road and an important
corridor for Zambia’s imports and exports as well as transit traffic
for the countries north of us. It is important that the detours are
safe and easily negotiable if we are to ensure that lives and goods
are not lost.
I have received a report that thieves
are operating at some of our major shopping centres, trying to steal
the wheels off shoppers’ cars. The reader who reported this to me
had had the wheel nuts on their car loosened so the thieves were
obviously disturbed. But a nasty accident could have happened.
But there is one nasty accident that did happen, at the annual
Kuomboka ceremony and sadly it was a visitor to this country to this
country who lost his life; a Kenyan journalist drowned when the boat
in which he was travelling capsized. In 2003, I attended this
ceremony and it appears that boats in any and all states of
disrepair are used and when participants have ‘taken a few beers’
there is a complete disregard for safety. Undoubtedly, the
authorities will now clamp down; slamming the door after the horse
has bolted.
A request to the road authorities. Please could something be done to
improve the signage when approaching the junction of the Livingstone
Chirundu Road. One day soon, some unfortunate motorist is going to
miss this junction and end up in the ditch on the other side of the
road. Rumble strips and road signs are all that are needed. |
May
2006