03/03/2026
EIZ TO SUMMON CONSULTANT OVER COLLAPSED KAKOSO BRIDGE
By Justina Matandiko
The Engineering Institution of Zambia-EIZ- says it intends to summon the independent engineering consultant responsible for the collapsed Kakoso Bridge which connects Chingola and Chililabombwe, to answer what it describes as serious technical and professional questions surrounding the project.
EIZ President Wesley Kaluba has told Phoenix News that the institution is seeking clarity on whether proper geotechnical investigations were conducted prior to construction, whether soil stabilization and engineered backfill were carried out in accordance with the terrain, and what long-term drainage strategy was adopted.
Mr. Kaluba says these are critical engineering fundamentals that must be established, especially for a bridge that was recently commissioned and has now collapsed.
He says the institution wants to understand the level of authority the supervising consultant had on the project, including whether they had the power to halt works if standards were not being met.
Mr. Kaluba has warned that if investigations point to professional malpractice or negligence, EIZ will invoke disciplinary provisions under the EIZ Act No. 17 of 2010.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kaluba says the institution has begun mobilizing a technical team to travel to the site of the collapsed Kakoso Bridge to conduct independent studies.
PHOENIX NEWS
