China Completes Construction of $160 Million Parliament in Zimbabwe, to be Given to the Country as a Gift

• China has completed the construction of Zimbabwe's $160 million dollar parliament which it intends to give Zimbabwe as a gift
• This will not be the first time that China will be giving out a building to an African country for free as it did the same for the African Union, Burundi and Congo among others
• Zimbabwe's new parliament building is a six-storey building located in the capital of Harare, that blends both Zimbabwean and Chinese architecture

Zimbabwe's new parliament in Harare took almost four years to be built by the Chinese government. The impressive building sits on 33,000 square meters of land and comprises a four-storey building that houses Zimbabwe's National Assembly and Senate. It also has a six-story office complex.

The two buildings are connected by three bridges on each storey. The Senate chamber has 150 seats, whereas the National Assembly has 400.

Read also

Workers at the $278 million Kumasi Central Market project embark on strike over poor working conditions

Additionally, the parliament building features 15 committee rooms, conference rooms, staff offices, and a parking lot. The 600 rooms in the office complex would accommodate staff members and members of parliament.

The new Parliament building was constructed by Shanghai Construction Group (SCG) and wholly sponsored by the Chinese government as "a present to the people of Zimbabwe." It is situated at Mt. Hampden, some 18 kilometres from the heart of Harare.

Cai Libo, the Project Manager at SCG said in an interview that:

There will be no doubt that the new Parliament building will become a landmark building in Zimbabwe and even in the whole of southern Africa. The project strongly supports democracy in Zimbabwe while boosting the country’s image. This is a show of a solid friendship between China and Zimbabwe.

Read also

Photos of Selfridges Building, Kansas City Library and Other Unusual Buildings Around the World

Zimbabwe intends to construct additional infrastructure close to the new Parliament to relieve the city's congestion. It will have executive branch and judicial branch offices, as well as commercial and residential sectors.

Work Comes to a Stop at $278 Million Kumasi Central Market Project as Workers Protest Over Poor Working Conditions

In an earlier article, YEN.com.gh wrote about how construction workers at the multi-million dollar Kumasi Central Market are unsatisfied with working conditions and have halted work until their demands are met.

The construction of the market costs about $278 million and is intended to enhance socio-economic development, economic growth and tourism.

Source: YEN.com.gh