The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has embarked on the evaluation of property in Lusaka city.
LCC Public Relations officer, Henry Kapata, says the evaluation exercise which will take 18 months is expected to capture over 50,000 housing units, industrial and commercial property.
Mr. Kapata told ZANIS in an interview that currently the LCC data base has only 30,000 properties registered but that the council has projected that Lusaka city has over 80,000 properties.
Mr. Kapata said the council has engaged a government consultant to conduct the exercise.
He pointed out that the LCC has been unable to undertake the exercise for the past ten years due to financial constraints.
He appealed to residents of Lusaka to co-operate with the inspectors who will be going round evaluating property.
An attempt at more taxation for the already over-taxed zedians
#1 If the figures given by LCC are to be believed, then there are about 50,000 properties that are not being taxed. So over-taxation is no diffence in this case. People simply have to pay tax for the council to prive the public services in the city. Ofcourse LCC, if they collect the tax, should be accountable too.
Not under PF and Chilatu, forget the council in lusaka
Iam confused here: Estimated that the city has 80,000 properties??? Do they mean in the city centre only?
Why doesn’t the council give a written undertaking of those services that they will provide to all residents that have their properties in Lusaka and pay rates? It is clear to me that getting money from residents is simply for their own salaries and benefits and nothing else. I notice that basic things are missing in Lusaka-
1. No street lights in nearly all public roads;
2. No dustbins in all public places;
3. No toilets for the public in public places;
4. No street / road signs so that one can tell where you are;
5. No publicity is given for travellers to know where public restaurants are. Come 2010, how do visitors know where restaurants are located, and public toliets?
6. No firemen with their fireengines can be seen carrying out drills through the Lusaka Roads. Without drills, how do they sharpen their skills to get through congested roads when there is an emergency:
It is clear to me that Zambia under MMD is a disaster waiting to happen.
in the uk council tax (equivalent to land rates in zambia)averages £1100 p.a!! the tax payable is calculated on the rateable value of the property.houses for example in Lusaka, are still showing 1972 valuations in the council books and the rates are charged on those valuations!!an average house in N/Mead is now valued at 300m, in 1972 it was valued at 40m so the current rates are on 40m.#5 if you want all those things you have listed…support the revaluation…leave politics out of it and be progressive!!
#2, I’m yet to see the Lusaka tax kwachas at work..I’m not against taxation but I want to see tangible results for all the taxes I’m paying. LCC has shown me squat apart from them giving each other plots at civic center
#8, pay rates at 2008 valuations and you will see tangible results!!!
I hope that the evaluation exercise must also translate into the provision of adequate services to those properties rather than just collecting taxes. Look at the roads, drainage, street lighting, etc. City fathers should be working towards meaningful targets.
#7 – Polics is in everything. This is why Zambia is in the dumps. People, the majority of our people cannot connect the dots. Politics is active as soon as a kid is born until death occurs. Unless our people understand that the quality of air, water, size of their vegetables etc are connected to the politics of the day, they they will be immature citizens for ever. This is why our churches are exploding with members due to the fact that the citizens think that their fate is God’s will. Until they are born, everything is politics. In fact from the day they are conceived, politics starts playing games in their lives.
Way to Go#11,when i mentioned politics,i meant partisan politics.provision of street lighting,drainage,fire services,health services etc are issues that should transcend the often petty divisive issues associated with politics.equipping and funding UTH is not a campaign issue but should be a matter of course for whichever party is in power!!