M10 road (Zambia)

Last updated
Elongated circle 10.svg
M10 Road
Route information
Length508 km (316 mi)
Major junctions
East endElongated circle 1.svg T1 in Livingstone
Major intersectionsElongated circle 19.svg M19/UK road A33.svg A33 (Kazungula Bridge) to Botswana at Kazungula
Schild B8 NA.svg B8 to Namibia near Katima Mulilo Bridge
West endElongated circle 9.svg M9 in Mongu
Location
Country Zambia
Provinces Southern, Western
Major cities Livingstone, Sesheke, Senanga, Mongu
Highway system
Elongated circle 9.svg M9 Elongated circle 11.svg M11

The M10 road is a road in Zambia. It goes from Livingstone, through Sesheke and Senanga, to Mongu. [1] [2] The road is approximately 508 kilometres [1] [2] and follows the Zambezi River for its entire length.

Contents

The M10 between Livingstone and Kazungula (where there is a narrow border to Botswana) and extending further west to Sesheke (where there is a border to Namibia's Caprivi Strip) is a major route used by motorists for international trade and travelling between Zambian cities and the respective countries of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. [3] The road is one lane in each direction. As a result, the road may be very busy and may have high volumes of traffic in either direction.

The M10 between Livingstone and Sesheke (Katima Mulilo) is part of the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Road. [3]

Route

The M10 route begins in Livingstone (just south of the city centre), at an intersection with the T1 road (Lusaka-Livingstone Road; with access to Victoria Falls and north-western Zimbabwe in the south and northern, central and eastern Zambia in the north-east).

The road goes west, being the road separating the Dambwa North and Dambwa Central suburbs of Livingstone. The road goes for 70 kilometres, though the north-western section of the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, to the small town of Kazungula, where there is a narrow border with Botswana on the Zambezi River (currently crossed using the Kazungula Bridge; previously by the Kazungula Ferry) (The 3-kilometre stretch of road from the M10 to the Kazungula Bridge is known as the M19 road on Zambia's network [1] and the road on the other side of the border is known as the A33 road of Botswana).

A road sign at the junction of the M10 and M19 in Kazungula. Kazungula Junction (M10 & M19) (2) (cropped).jpg
A road sign at the junction of the M10 and M19 in Kazungula.

Global positioning systems suggest that the route through Kazungula and Eastern Botswana is a quicker route to Johannesburg, South Africa from Livingstone than through Victoria Falls and Zimbabwe as of December 2023. [4] The M10 road is also on the main route between Botswana and Lusaka (Zambia's capital city) and countries like DR Congo and Malawi. As a result, the route is important for international trade and may be busy in either direction.

From the small town of Kazungula, the M10 road continues west for 135 kilometres, crossing into the Western Province, bypassing the town of Mwandi, to the town of Sesheke. Just before Mwandi, by Simungoma Market (40 kilometres before Sesheke), is a junction with the D787, which goes north to the town of Mulobezi (95 kilometres away), where there is a timber industry.

The M10 is the main road through Sesheke Central. 3 kilometres west of Sesheke, at a junction with the RD325 road, at the point where the Zambezi River stops being a national borderline and turns northwards, the M10 road crosses in a south-westerly direction as the Katima Mulilo Bridge (completed in 2004 [5] ) to be on the western side of the Zambezi River, before meeting the Namibia (Katima Mulilo) Border Post.

Just after crossing the Zambezi River, there is a road south into Namibia's Caprivi Strip, connecting to Namibia's B8 road (part of the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Road) (the border on the Namibian side is named Wenela Border Post). The Katima Mulilo Bridge (completed in 2004), connecting Sesheke with the western side of the Zambezi River, completes a much-needed road link between Zambia and Namibia. [5] As the main link between cities in Namibia like Walvis Bay and cities in Malawi, DR Congo, Tanzania and Zambia, the road is important for international trade and may be used frequently by motorists in either direction. [3]

The M10 between Kazungula and Sesheke is a road with a reputation of being in a very poor condition, [3] [6] [7] with many motorists choosing to use different routes between Kazungula and Namibia (like commuting through Kasane and the northern area of the Chobe National Park, both in Botswana, to enter Namibia at Ngoma). [6] [7] [8]

From the Namibia Border, the M10 turns to the north-north-west and heads for 116 km to a point south of the town of Sioma. Just before Sioma is the Ngonye Falls, also known as the Sioma Falls, on the Zambezi River. The M10 road crosses back to the eastern side of the Zambezi River as the Sioma Bridge and continues north for 85 kilometres to the town of Senanga, which is near the southern point of the Barotse Floodplain. It passes through the eastern suburbs.

From Senanga, the M10 road goes north for 100 km, through the Lui Toll Plaza, [9] to the town of Mongu, which is the capital of the Western Province and Barotseland. The M10 ends at an intersection with the M9 road from Lusaka at a roundabout in Mongu Central (adjacent to Barotse Shopping Mall).

M19 Road (Zambia)

Elongated circle 19.svg
M19 Road
Route information
Length3 km (1.9 mi)
Major junctions
North endElongated circle 10.svg M10 in Kazungula
South endUK road A33.svg A33 at Kazungula Bridge border with Botswana
Location
Country Zambia
Provinces Southern
Major cities Kazungula
Highway system
Elongated circle 18.svg M18 Elongated circle 20.svg M20

On Zambia's road network, the M19 is designated as the short 3-kilometre road through Kazungula, [1] [2] from the junction with the M10 southwards to the Kazungula Bridge on the Zambezi River, where it crosses the river into the nation of Botswana. It becomes the A33 road of Botswana to Kasane and Nata on the other side of the river. The border area on the other side of the river crossing is also named Kazungula.

A road sign at the junction of the M10 and M19 in Kazungula. Kazungula Junction (M10 & M19).jpg
A road sign at the junction of the M10 and M19 in Kazungula.

See also

Related Research Articles

This article is about the Transport in Zambia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zambezi</span> Major river in southern Africa

The Zambezi is the fourth-longest river in Africa, the longest east-flowing river in Africa and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. Its drainage basin covers 1,390,000 km2 (540,000 sq mi), slightly less than half of the Nile's. The 2,574 km (1,599 mi) river rises in Zambia and flows through eastern Angola, along the north-eastern border of Namibia and the northern border of Botswana, then along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe to Mozambique, where it crosses the country to empty into the Indian Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Province, Zambia</span> Province of Zambia

Western Province is one of the 10 provinces in Zambia and encompasses most of the area formerly known as Barotseland. The capital is Mongu, and together with the neighbouring town of Limulunga, Mongu is treated as the capital of Barotseland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Livingstone, Zambia</span> City in Southern Province, Zambia

Livingstone is a city in Zambia. Until 1935, it served as the capital of Northern Rhodesia. Lying 10 km (6 mi) to the north of the Zambezi River, it is a tourism attraction center for the Victoria Falls and a border town with road and rail connections to Zimbabwe on the other side of the Victoria Falls. A historic British colonial city, its present population was enumerated at 177,393 inhabitants at the 2022 census. It is named after David Livingstone, the Scottish explorer and missionary who was the first European to explore the area. Until 2011, Livingstone was the provincial capital of Zambia's Southern Province.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katima Mulilo</span> Town in Zambezi Region, Namibia

Katima Mulilo or simply Katima is the capital of the Zambezi Region in Namibia. It had 46,401 inhabitants in 2023, and comprises two electoral constituencies, Katima Mulilo Rural and Katima Mulilo Urban. It is located on the B8 national road on the banks of the Zambezi River in the Caprivi Strip in lush riverine vegetation with tropical birds and monkeys. The town receives annual average rainfall of 654 millimetres (25.7 in).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mongu</span> City in Western Province, Zambia

Mongu is the capital of Western Province in Zambia and was the capital of the formerly-named province and historic state of Barotseland. Its population is 179,585, and it is also the headquarters of Mongu District. Mongu is the home of the Litunga, King of the Lozi people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sesheke</span> Town in Western Province, Zambia

Sesheke is a border town in the Western Province of Zambia, in a district of the same name. It lies on the northern bank of the Zambezi River which forms the border with Namibia's Caprivi Strip at that point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Road</span> Road in Southern Africa

The Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Road runs from Walvis Bay, through Rundu in north eastern Namibia, along the Caprivi Strip to Katima Mulilo on the Zambezi River, which forms the border between Namibia and Zambia. The Katima Mulilo Bridge spans the river to the Zambian town of Sesheke from where a road runs to Livingstone, joining the main north–south highway to Lusaka, connecting onwards to the Copperbelt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kazungula</span> Human settlement in Zambia

Kazungula is a small border town in Zambia, lying on the north bank of the Zambezi River about 70 kilometres (45 mi) west of Livingstone on the M10 Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senanga</span> Town in Western Province, Zambia

Senanga is the capital of the Senanga District, which is located in the Western Province of Zambia. The town is situated on the eastern bank of the Zambezi River, at the southern end of the Barotse Floodplain. It lies on the main road running parallel to the river from Livingstone and Sesheke to Mongu. Recently the Kaunga Lyeti Bridge was completed to cross the Kaunga Lyeti River near the junction to Sioma, traveling from Sesheke and Katima Mulilo. On top of the bridgework, recent road projects have improved travel conditions and inspired economic confidence and growth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katima Mulilo Bridge</span> Bridge in Sesheke, Zambia

The Katima Mulilo Bridge carries the TransCaprivi Highway over the Zambezi River between Katima Mulilo, Namibia and Sesheke, Zambia. It is a road bridge, completed in 2004, 900 metres long and with 19 spans. It links Namibia's Trans–Caprivi Highway to the Zambian road network, forming a section of the trade route from south-central Africa to the Atlantic known as the Walvis Bay Corridor. It also carries tourist traffic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kazungula Ferry</span> Pontoon ferry across the Zambezi River

The Kazungula Ferry was a pontoon ferry across the 400-metre-wide (1,300 ft) Zambezi River between Botswana and Zambia. It was one of the largest ferries in south-central Africa, having a capacity of 70 tonnes. The service was provided by two motorised pontoons and operated between border posts at Kazungula, Zambia and Kazungula, Botswana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lusaka–Mongu Road</span> Road in Zambia

The Lusaka–Mongu Road of Zambia runs 580 km from the capital, Lusaka, to Mongu, capital of the Western Province. It connects that province to the rest of the country, as well as being one of two routes to the south-west extremity of North-Western Province. It also serves as the main highway of the western half of Central Province. The entire route from Lusaka to Mongu is designated as the M9 road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lusaka–Livingstone Road</span> Road in Zambia

The T1 or Lusaka–Livingstone Road is the main highway of the Southern Province of Zambia. It begins 55 kilometres south of the city of Lusaka and heads south-west to the principal tourist destination, Victoria Falls in Livingstone, via Mazabuka, Monze, Choma and Kalomo, measuring approximately 430 kilometres (267 mi). The entire route is part of Trans-African Highway network number 4 or Cairo-Cape Town Highway between Cairo and Cape Town.

Zambia, officially known as the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west. The capital city is Lusaka, located in the southeast of the country. The population is concentrated mainly around the capital and the Copperbelt to the northwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shangombo District</span> District in Western Province, Zambia

Shangombo District with headquarters at Shangombo is located in Zambia. As of the 2010 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 84,070 people. This population is a combined figure with the newly created district of Sioma which was created by halving the primary district. The western part of the half retains the name Shangombo while the eastern part is called Sioma District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sesheke District</span> District in Western Province, Zambia

Sesheke District is one of the sixteen (16) districts in Western Province of Zambia. Lying 300km south of the provincial capital, Mongu and 190km from Livingstone, the nations tourist capital, the district shares borders with Sioma in the west, Senanga and Mulobezi in the north-east and Mwandi in the east. The district also shares international border with Namibia south and Angola in south-west. The capital lies at Sesheke. As of the 2000 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 78,169 people. It contains Sioma Ngwezi National Park and contains part of the Zambezi River, which forms Zambia's border with Namibia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Livingstone District</span> District in Southern Province, Zambia

Livingstone District is a district of Zambia, located in Southern Province. The capital lies at Livingstone, Zambia. As of the 2000 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 103,288 people. Its border with Zimbabwe is formed by the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls. Although most people live in Livingstone, other villages include Jinga Jinga in the north and Simonga in the southwest.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Roads and Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, Cap 464 | Zambia Legal Information Institute". zambialii.org. Retrieved 2019-07-03.
  2. 1 2 3 "Roads and Road Traffic Act | National Assembly of Zambia". www.parliament.gov.zm. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Tourists shocked with the state of Sesheke-Livingstone Road | Zambian Eye" . Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  4. "T1 & M10 to Smit Street". T1 & M10 to Smit Street. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  5. 1 2 Speech of Dr. Sam Nujoma at the bridge's opening ceremony, as published on the Government of Namibia Network Archived 2012-12-03 at archive.today . Retrieved 15 February 2005.
  6. 1 2 "Livingstone-Sesheke road in deplorable state – Zambia Daily Mail". daily-mail.co.zm. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  7. 1 2 "L/stone-Sesheke road a death trap – Sensele – The Mast Online" . Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  8. zamobserver (2017-10-21). "TOURISTS REGRET COMING TO ZAMBIA, DRIVING ON LIVINGSTONE – SESHEKE ROAD". The Zambian Observer. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  9. "NRFA" . Retrieved 2021-12-01.