By Ellen Hambuba
President HAKAINDE HICHILEMA has warned engineers and public officials against inflating project costs, saying the Government will not tolerate inefficiency and waste in public spending.
Speaking at the Engineering Institution of Zambia 69th Annual General Meeting and Symposium in Livingstone, President HICHILEMA said the country has for years lost significant resources through inflated project pricing and weak oversight.
He cited the Lusaka–Ndola dual carriageway project, whose initial cost was estimated at about 1.3 billion United States dollars but has since been revised to approximately 650 million dollars under the current administration.
The President said the reduction shows the need for accurate costing, transparency and accountability in infrastructure development.
He said engineers must uphold three key principles: correct costing, quality delivery and timely completion of projects.
President HICHILEMA warned that failure to meet these standards leads to waste of public resources, poor infrastructure and, in some cases, loss of life.
On procurement, the President gave an example involving fertiliser supply, where the Government rejected a proposed contract priced at about 1,200 dollars per metric tonne.
He said further checks showed the price had been inflated despite being included in the national budget.
President HICHILEMA said following intervention, the Government secured fertiliser at around 800 dollars per tonne, saving approximately 400 dollars per tonne.
He said when applied to the large volumes procured annually, the savings amount to millions of dollars.
The President added that the funds are being redirected to key social programmes, including free education and the Constituency Development Fund.
President HICHILEMA also cited past irregularities in fertiliser supply, where some bags labelled as 50 kilogrammes were found to be underweight, affecting agricultural productivity and disadvantaging farmers.
He said professionals involved in procurement and project design must act with integrity and ensure value for money.
The President called on engineers to play a leading role in safeguarding public resources through transparency, professionalism and efficiency in all projects.
Meanwhile, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Minister CHARLES MILUPI said all public projects must meet strict standards of right cost, high quality, and timely delivery.
He warned that government will not tolerate inflated project costs, substandard works, or delays, stressing that infrastructure must deliver value for money and stand the test of time.
Mr. MILUPI also challenged engineers to take accountability for failures, noting that professionals involved in flawed projects are members of the Engineering Institution of Zambia.
He has since called on the institution to strengthen oversight and enforce discipline within its ranks to safeguard national infrastructure.
Mr. MILUPI added that engineers can leverage expertise to attract global financing and play a leading role in driving infrastructure development.
He said increased participation by local engineers will not only improve project quality but also contribute to Zambia’s economic growth.
And the Engineering Institution of Zambia has raised concern over increasing cases of poor infrastructure, linking them to weak planning, limited oversight, and the exclusion of engineers in key decision-making processes.
EIZ President WESLEY KALUBA said recent incidents, including the collapse of the Kakoso Bridge and substandard works on parts of the Copperbelt road network, have exposed serious gaps in project design, quality control, and enforcement of standards.
He said while government’s push to use Public-Private Partnerships to finance infrastructure is commendable, there is urgent need to strengthen monitoring frameworks to avoid compromised projects.
Mr. KALUBA noted that failure to fully involve engineering professionals at the planning stage is contributing to poor outcomes, with experts often only brought in after problems arise.
He has since called for the creation of an Engineer General’s Office to ensure that technical expertise is embedded at the highest level of national decision-making.
Meanwhile, the institution is also positioning Zambia’s engineering sector on the global stage.
Mr. KALUBA said EIZ has applied for accreditation to the International Engineering Alliance under the Washington Accord, a move expected to allow local engineers to practice across borders.
He said that this will not only promote professional mobility but also attract investment and enhance confidence in Zambia’s technical capacity.
