Three private firms sign a joint venture agreement to construct 100,000 prefabricated houses in Zambia

Mr Chikonde is definitely not “an architecture by profession”. I believe he is an architect.

But why litter the landscape with hundreds of thousands of untested system build prefab buildings which are usually meant for temporary accomodation. Why not start of with a lab of a couple hundred units and then build up from there. The carbon footprint of pre-fab buildings is huge and unsustainable. But somebody has hit akapata and is set up for life. Damn the damage to the built environment. We are in a hurry for shoddy infrastructure (roads and buildings). Kulilapo and sangwapo are the prevailing bywords. What a country.

We have had prefabs since colonial times, remember the ‘kumaiteneke’ type of houses in areas like Kankoyo in Mufulira which are still standing! But I believe that we should start by developing our own standards and specs followed by construction of a few demo units, and not “to create a conducive regulatory framework and open up serviced land for immediate construction of housing units” as suggested by ‘architecture’ Chikonde.

Those are women you sign marriage certificates with, not joint venture for mobile-homes.

Some American just woke up one day and saw the opportunity to make money in poor Africa. His plans were rejected in South Africa – who have refused poor-quality housing for its people; his plans were even rejected by Tanzanians, who told him they don’t want to be left with poor quality cheap structures in their country which people will refuse to live in; Zimbabwe doesn’t tolerate that nonsense, so it is not even true that it will ever be rolled out in Zimbabwe. The American has found Zambia easy because apart from talking too much, Zambians never think things threw – they just talk too much. Even the author of this story can’t tell the difference between ‘an architect’ and ‘architecture’…that is how poor standards are among Zambians, except when it comes to talking too much.

You certainly have the gift of the gab

Just like you can’t tell the difference between ‘threw’ and ‘through’

The Brazilian President is ugly, she walks like a man. Thank God they lost 7-1 + 3-0 = 10-1… what a nightmare.

What are they doing in RSA? How is this 3 companies when one is a subsidiary company and not a Zambian company in sight…prefabricated housing has evolved over the years that you wouldn’t even notice it was a prefab. I have seen better in Europe than this cheap grass housing.
Where are the so called Zambian business men?

@Mwembeshi u r right. We have to say NO to such structures…..!!!!

Pre-fab! In strong weather, they smash up and litter the landscape. Why? Zambians should expect and be given good standard housing. Zambia’s 60s council houses have stood the test of time in Kabwata, Chilenje etc. this is poor business.

Posterity will have to handle environmental issues arising out of pre-fabs.

They are signing in another country to build dirty in our land.

I get surprised so much why in my beloved country, only temperal measures are been taken to solve problems. The pre fabrics are not the answer to our Housing deficit in the country. Why not give capacity to the councils to design, construct and sale the houses on loan to the people? Why not give loans straight to the people to build there own houses? For our own information, in America its self and china, for example, even the houses the MMD government started building for the defense forces are built for “Ndaka” Helpers for building permanent structures on sites. I really cry when my country can sink so low and the all lot of this guy been paid by out Tax Payers Money( so called Ambassador), celebrating the building of temporal shelter in my peaceful country that is not at war. shame.

@Mwembeshi, you are quick to point out Ichisungu cha banenu but what is to ‘think things threw?’

@ ba pettie…

Yaba! Abena, I knew someone would point it out because I only noticed the mistake after posting – elyo there is no way of correcting a comment on LT. ON THE OTHER HAND, the author CAN correct his/her story and they haven’t done so up to now! A story like this needed to be researched and written with enough background about the companies involved. This is a world in which everybody wants to protect what is theirs and so one must understand why as Zambians our first instinct is to protect our country from a contract being signed by 3 companies somewhere in the middle of South Africa. Ninshi balesainina kulyokutali? Elyo tukeseumfwa pa-last ati the contract is under investigation by the Zambian government.

I am not againts prefab houses per se, I however, have a problem when every sector of the economy is open to any investor. In my opinion, Zambia cannot have the luxuary of having foreign entities investing in housing; these guys will be draining the country of foreign exchange for the next 20-30 years without bringing in a single cent. Zambia cannot be an importer of everything and still expect a stable currency. I believe that Zambian pension funds should be investing more in low cost housing and infrastructure sector; they currently primarily invest in treasury bills. Providing tax incentives, limits on proportions that can be invested in treasury bills and encouraging co-operation can help influence their investment decisions.

I am pissed off by thie revelation. Chilenje South in Lusaka are prefabs. I am sure UNZA Civil Engineering Students in conjuction with ZNS can come up with a standard structure which we all can feel proud of as being ours. At the evel we are, it is insulting to our intelligence in architecture. We have people with the education that can take care of our needs. Those with money in private sector must participate in this effort. One Zambia One Nation.

Those houses are not constructed in South Africa,why can’t such companies get tenders from their government? Pa zed ,you agree to anything ‘mported’. You accept what is rejected elsewhere.

I don’t know, maybe it’s just me. we have a problem! and the sooner we acknowledge that we have a problem, the better. All these so called learned people sit on their back sides all their lives, and when someone wants to bring on board something that is out of the norm, that is when their technical expertise to comes out, and all we do is shoot down. Ok if you have a solution for the 1.5Million, even more housing deficit, tell us. Zambia is of course a testing ground for all sorts of rubbish, until such a time that we have structures, and mindsets that are pro change, that are willing to stand up and make sustainable improvements to people’s socio economic status, that inovate. Otherwise forget it. We will continue being “molested” left right and centre, and it seem we are…

In my opinion, we don’t need prefabricated houses in Zambia but what is needed are permanent structures that residents can rent or even buy through long term loans. It’s better to fully consult before moving into signing some of the contracts. Who needs prefab houses in Zambia at this time of the century.
Organizations worldwide have entered into big programs of investing in real estates whereby tall buildings have been erected. It’s quite unfortunate and shameful to hear of contracts to build prefab houses.
Zambians please work up and show a sense of patriotism in what you do.

Zambians wake up!! Zambians wake up every day from shelters that are not worthy to live in. Because you live in a good house, you have access to finance, you think every Zambia has that access. Research and see!!! That is the problem of us Zambians, your grand mother is leaving in a slum, and has been leaving in a slum all her life & all yours, and an opportunity for low cost housing emerges, and you are the first one to shoot it down. At least have the decency of building one house for your mother , and we will see how long it is going to take you!! Maybe you don’t even have a house of your own, you are renting. Do you eat cement blocks? or you only worry about living in a safe, habitable and durable structure? let us change our mindset, this technology is here to stay! Like it…

Guys have you seen these prefab houses before you judge. I blame the reporters for not showing images of the prefab houses or discussing the design in detail. Prefab houses can be better than stardard brick it just depends on how they are made and quality.

Guys this technology is being used in Developed countries like U.S.A. Surely us with structures that are in misisi, chibolya and other shanty compounds cannot be saying bad on prefab houses. Let us not show ignorance and embarrass ourselves to the all world. prefab technology is the fastest way to build a structure. If you to stick to the old ways of building, I am afraid you capital will continue be looking like big a shanty compound, while developed countries which have welcomed the prefab tech will continue building will designed prefab houses for their citizens who poor.

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