Transporters up in arms over Zambia toll fees

Foreign transporters entering Zambia’s borders are up in arms about the country’s national road tolling programme, which came into effect on November 1 this year. The Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport Associations (Fesarta) lodged a non-tariff barrier (NTB) complaint at the end of last month (October) stating that “the added fees mean that foreign vehicles will be paying more than their fair share for road usage, and will merely add to the cost of goods consumed in landlocked countries”. “The introduction is considered an unfair practice, since the tolls apply to foreign vehicles, and these vehicles pay road user charges on entry into the country,” said Fesarta CEO Barney Curtis. The road user charges that the foreign vehicles pay (between US$10 per 100 km and US$16 per 100 km), are set to cover the road usage cost by the vehicles as they travel the country’s roads. Updated road user charges are being developed by the Comesa/ EAC/SADC Tripartite alliance “There is no justification for Zambia to introduce toll fees for foreign vehicles as it is a duplication of the road user charges paid by them on entry into the country,” the NTB complaint states. CAPTION Trucks on the Kazungula road, Zambia. INSERT Phase one of the national road tolling programme started on November 1, tolling classes II, III , IV, V and VI. These vehicles are required to pay tolls at Zambia’s 17 ports of entry: Chirundu Kariba L iv i ngstone Kazungula Katima Mulilo Chavuma Jimbe Kasumbalesa Tshisenda Mokambo Sakania Chembe Nakonde Lundazi Mwami(Chipata) Chanida Luangwa Toll fees also apply at eight weighbridges: Kafue Kapiri Mposhi Kafulafuta Solwezi Mpika Mwami Chipata Livingstone Kazungu