Time to enforce urban planning

ZAMBIA needs to give renewed attention to urban planning and the provision of decent, affordable housing as rapid urbanisation continues to put pressure on land, infrastructure and social services. For too long, urban planning has not received the attention it deserves, resulting in the growth of unplanned settlements and overcrowded neighbourhoods on the margins of major cities, particularly Lusaka.

This is not unique to Zambia, as many African cities have grappled with similar challenges as people move to urban centres in search of employment, education and better opportunities. However, the growth of our towns and cities should not be an excuse for disorder.

Rather, it should compel Government and local authorities to plan ahead, provide adequate housing and ensure that development takes place within an orderly framework. We therefore welcome Vice President Mutale Nalumango’s call for urban planning that responds to the needs of communities by improving access to basic services without unnecessarily displacing people from their homes.

Speaking through Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Gift Sialubalo at the National Urban Conference in Lusaka, Mrs Nalumango said Government is committed to promoting orderly human settlements, improving infrastructure and expanding economic opportunities as towns and cities continue to grow.

Her observation that planning should be practical, inclusive and responsive to people’s needs is particularly important. Urban planning must not simply be about drawing boundaries and enforcing regulations.

It must also be about creating communities where people can live safely, access clean water and sanitation, send their children to school and travel on proper roads. President Hakainde Hichilema has also highlighted the need to accelerate the delivery of decent and affordable housing in response to population growth and urbanisation.

Speaking at the opening of Zambia National Building Society’s new head office in Lusaka in April this year, the President urged the institution to support housing development across the country, including in provincial centres such as Kasama, Livingstone, Choma and Mansa.

The President further emphasised proper planning, climate-resilient building materials, good drainage, locally produced inputs and quality construction. These concerns are interconnected. Housing cannot be considered in isolation from the wider environment in which people live.

A house may provide shelter, but if it is built in a flood-prone area, lacks proper sanitation or has no reliable access to roads and other essential services, the occupants remain vulnerable. The experience of unplanned settlements across the country demonstrates the consequences of allowing residential development to take place without adequate coordination. https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home