[4][5] In August 2007 the governments of Zambia and Botswana announced a deal to construct a bridge to replace the existing ferry.

The project was stated to be financed partly through a loan of $80 million signed on February 2013 between Zambia and the African Development Bank, as well as between Botswana and the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA).

[9] By the following year, 40 replacement houses for Lumbo villagers were ready to be distributed as initial construction work had already started.

[9] In August 2014, Bernard Chiwala, Chief Executive of Zambia’s Road Development Agency, stated that the whole construction process would be given to Botswana and would be jointly financed at a total cost of US$124.22 million and it is expected to be completed in four years, eight years shorter than previously stated.

[9] In 2018, the three presidents of Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa, Seretse Khama of Botswana, and Edgar Lungu of Zambia, inspected the progress on the Kazungula Bridge.

These statements were in response to accusations that the Zambian Government had failed to pay its dues and would not honor the outstanding amount owed to the contractor.

Vincent Mwale went on to say that he "would like to put it on record that the assertions currently being circulated via social media, purporting that the Zambian Government has failed to pay its dues and will not honor the outstanding amount owed to the Contractor, are not correct".