The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has said it is conducting a KR5 million (K5 billion) street naming project in various parts of the city aimed at curbing crime activities and creating convenience.
LCC Assistant Public Relations Manager Mulunda Habeenzu says the pilot exercise is in partnership with the Zambia Information Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) whom he said were spearheading the exercise.
Mr Habeenzu who was speaking to ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today said the project started in July 2012 and it is expected to be completed by February this year targeting Northmead, Kamwala, and Kalingalinga adding that depending on the outcome the council would then roll out to other parts of the city.
Mr Habeenzu however noted that ZICTA was also conducting the exercise in Nkomeshya and Mukuni Village as well as Livingstone city as a way to add value to preparations for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) 20th General Assembly.
He stated that having names for all streets in the city would help in enforcing the law and also provide convenience for people as they moved from one point to the next.
The assistant PR manager explained that even though ZICTA was in charge of the exercise it was the council’s responsibility to name streets.
He further said LCC had decentralized the exercise giving chance to residents to work with their area Councillors to come up with names that would be considered by the council adding that once the residents submitted the names the council would then ratify and approve before moving in to put up the selected names.
Mr Habeenzu disclosed that the council will also be correcting house numbers during the exercise.
Neanwhile, LCC says it has received good response from members of the public in the compliance of paying land rates.
Speaking to ZANIS in an interview today, LCC Assistant Public Relations Manager Habeenzu Mulunda said there has been significant improvement in the compliance of land rates.
Mr Habeenzu also disclosed that plans are underway to create more Car Parking Slots in the City’s Central Business District (CBD).
He explained that currently there is a total of 1197 public parking slots, and 603 institutions reserved parking slots in the central business district.
Mr Habeenzu however, cautioned motorists that it is illegal for anyone to personalize public parking slots as they do not belong to any individual or institution.
He stated that if an institution wants to reserve certain space for their vehicles, they have to apply and go through the necessary procedure.
Mr Habeenzu also disclosed that the LCC will soon introduce the Car Park Metering system, to keep track of the amount of time a vehicle is parked in a specific area.
The Car Park Metering System is used in many cities around the world where money is inserted into the meter, allowing the commuter to keep his or her car parked in the spot for a certain time before it is necessary to insert more money.
If the person fails to insert more money when time runs out, he or she may receive a parking ticket from a traffic officer.
ZANIS
Brilliant idea of street naming, the only concern is that why are they limiting to few places. If the roads hare there well gazetted give them a name!
Just as well I dont have to wait till i die. Please name a street after my name! Kanofye umuntu afwa elyo mwadilinga ishina!
pLEASE NAME AFTER THE WHOLE FOREST IN CABINET THEN GO TO RBS FAMILY TREE THEN CABBAGE, KAFUPI AND LAST KK
Please name one as Dr Chiluba. This man did alot for mother Zambia though his is not recognised by the current party.
obviously there will be one named 90days street
LCC, this is a good idea but please clear the streets of street vendors first. The money you are using for naming or renaming streets can best be utilised in constructing alternative trading areas for the people who are trading on the streets. Lusaka can be a beutiful city if you did this, currently, it is an eyesore. LCC Health Inspectors, where are you? Please enforce the Law. We are tired of the dirt!
1. CNP avenue
2. Ukwa close
3. Chimbwi road
Lon: behave yoself! Most of the names will be Bemba sounding….zonda uzalema!!
Chimbwi is bemba you pfool
POTHOLES AND FLOODS NAMING AS IF IT WAS HURRICANES
Is it only now that they realize that every city and town must have street names? Nothing seems right in Zambia.
By the way a parking meter reading scheme is not as easy as it sounds, it requires robust management and discipline otherwise forget about it. Countless projects have failed lamentably due to lack of self discipline and commitment.
Street naming in order to curb crime? We will see how crime will be curbed after the naming of Lusaka streets. The idea of naming streets is a good one but the reason of curbing crime as the basis for naming streets does not make sense.
90% of the names will be from the bamba-tribe
Rebased Banda Street
MTN Mwale close
A pilot project should also be initiated regarding the post codes. It will be good for every Zambian to receive mail at a residential place.
there is nothing new. Everything said used to be there in the 70s and 80s. Only young ones are excited with this and the coins!
Mr Habeenzu is Chalala now an official name? Please look into this so that people are clear, if its not, what then is the official name for the area commonly known as Chalala in Lusaka, south of Woodlands? I am not against it, but it has to be legalized. Or if you want it to sound a bit colonial you can call it ” Chalalands”…..Just think. Back to the topic, hope after the road naming, we shall be able to use GPS on most roads. Otherwise good job LCC.
I see all of you have understood this story. I can’t. What is paragraph 3 saying? And 4? Even that first sentence what is it announcing? I will stick to Finnish papers
LCC be careful with these ZICTA chaps. Some of these chaps will be naming streets after their girlfriends. Am also campaigning for a street name. How about conman avenue in sunning-dale my suburb
I hope that font, size, style, colour and pole chosen is the same through out or standardised for aesthetic reasons….
More money in your pockets soi that you may pay more for living.
WONDERFUL DO THE WORK DO NOT LEAVE ON THE PAPER.
Please give chalala streets names. Everytime I am asked about where I stay…..My answer is” near Bulaya.”
maybe I missed something why do you need KR5 million (K5 billion) to name streets.
I will attempt to help the LCC in answering your question. The LCC will not just name the streets and end there. The LCC will have to come up with signage for those street names. Normally the signage is placed at both ends of the street and at every junction. The LCC may contract professionals to prepare the boards, buy the right paints, hire the professionals or a company with appropriate printing equipment to write the names. Prior to this there will be preparatory meetings and even advertising the names. I hope I have attempted to answer your question according to my little understanding of the whole exercise.
Yawning right now! Blah bla bla bla bla bla bla.
Excellent idea from our council. I have called Mr. Kapata’s office several times to try and find out my street name which has been asked by service providers like Zesco and Zamtel. I have to just say I live off of Main Street…
Well, living on a newly tarred road and paying high ground rentals, when are we going to see services from LCC like Fire Hydrants on our streets? So far the only road with visible ones is Independence Ave.
Thank you and keep up the good work.
BCN.
Tom Tom will work in Zambia now
Daddy Zemus Street in Northmead!!!
its just a waste of time and money. crap!!!!!!!!!!!
Nooooo, not parking meters! Those things are so annoying! Always having to run out to put more money in, or find the right change. Also, a parking meter means one less job for a parking attendant; I know there will be those who say the meters are more efficient, but in a place with high unemployment, it just means one less job for someone.