President Hakainde Hichilema has affirmed the government’s dedication to addressing the challenges posed by unplanned settlements in the country. Speaking at the 8th Zambia Institute of Planners Conference held in Livingstone, President Hichilema highlighted the need for improved service delivery and infrastructure development in these areas.
President Hichilema acknowledged the difficulties in accessing certain settlements due to their unplanned nature, hindering the delivery of essential services such as proper roads and drainage systems. In response to this issue, he revealed that the government will be initiating conversations with residents of these settlements, exploring the possibility of relocation while providing compensation. This move aims to create an environment conducive to the establishment of crucial services within these townships.
“Our commitment is clear: we recognize the importance of planned settlements in facilitating effective and efficient service delivery to our citizens. We understand the challenges posed by unplanned settlements, and we are determined to work collaboratively with residents to address these issues,” President Hichilema stated.
However, President Hichilema also cautioned local authorities against allowing the creation of new unplanned settlements, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive urban planning in ensuring sustainable development and efficient service provision.
Addressing the same conference earlier, Gary Nkombo, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, commended President Hichilema’s recent pronouncement on street vending. Nkombo expressed that the President’s statement has empowered local authorities to independently drive development initiatives and cater to the needs of the Zambian population.
Finance Minister Situmbebo Musokotwane also addressed the conference, urging urban planners, particularly those within local councils, to adopt positive attitudes and facilitate a conducive environment for investment. He emphasized that a collaborative approach is essential to ensuring that investors are encouraged to participate in Zambia’s development efforts.
Busiku Sulwe, President of the Zambia Institute of Planners, called upon the government to grant local authorities the final approval authority for Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects. This move, Sulwe asserted, would expedite service delivery and empower local governments to efficiently allocate resources and address community needs.
Oh just leave us alone.
I do not believe that any Zambian government can do anything about unplanned settlements.
This, sadly, is one of those things I don’t believe this government is capable of handling, if forest 27 is anything to go by.
Additionally, as long as all economic activities are clustered in the same places unplanned settlements will continue to mushroom.
“In a speech that was written for him by the organizers of the event” that’s the most important sentence that was left out. Indications are that he didn’t mean anything that he read. Leave him alone to boast about CDF. I hope on his return he doesn’t land at the Sausage Airport
And they keep ignoring Forest 27 because Gary Nkombo and Majority of UPND Ministers including HH own properties in Forest 27….and what happened to 48 houses UPND has gone quite because they discovered that its owned by Musokotwane Family…the guys are just good at talking and it turns out they’re worse than PF
It’s not that I don’t want unplanned settlements gone. It’s because our local authorities cannot even tackle easier challenges. In invesment management-speak, they cannot even deal with low-hanging fruit so we cannot trust them to deal with tougher challenges.
This includes the gassing of Zambians , this thing was planned by this government to paint the then regime bad now that they are in power they have kept quiet.
Just imagine they have accused one or four Zambians to be gassing Zambians in all parts of the country Zuman cannot be in all places in Zambia , there must have been numerous people involved , this should have come from those who were fighting for power there couldn’t any government in this world that could be terrorising it’s own citizens only a fool can be believe that not people with a sound mind.
HH is the most unpatriotic President that i has ever ruled Zambia…how do you degrade and mock infrastructure in your own country…and you’re using the same infrastructure you’re degrading…he should be ashamed of himself….just give credit where its due and it will be now almost 3 years in office still nothing to point at….Once you become a leader you stop being petty and you stop acting as if you’re still in opposition…by degrading our infrastructure he doesn’t know that he is indirectly insulting the office of the President and the People of Zambia….All leaders talk good about their countries unlike demagogue President HH
There’s massive infrastructure development in UPND’s administration. Makishi road is a masterpiece! He isn’t unpatriotic. He’s just petty, but that gimmick won’t get him votes this time around
This country will continue being poor and dirty until gay rights are respected. Review all countries that have legalised gay rights and you will find a number of thing they have in common- they are clean and developed. This is because gays are very particular about being smart and very intelligent
Why does everybody in the picture look sad and disinterested in whatever was being said? If this man is not flying around aimlessly he is busy speaking at useless conferences/talk shops. When will he ever attend to serious issues affecting the nation that is sliding deeper and deeper down the crapper?
@Grant Kolala. This chap is a dud. When he flies privately into the UK he lands at an airport that had a $203million facelift in the 1990’s and is due for another $3.5billion upgrade…does he want the same airport he was saying will be turned into an international hub when he comes into power to look like a Bwengwa bus station?
It is because they know that he is telling lies
Hichilema is worse than Lungu.
Zambians are still waiting for mealie meal at K 50.00 , fertilizer at K 250.00 , fuel at K 12…
What has happened to the promises you made to the people of Zambia!
Mealie meal is now at K 305.00 what a heartless government.
The truth is HH is far better than Edgar Lungu who borrowed money from the same countries his minions like denouncing. After denouncing these countries, Lungu had no shame sending a delegation to discuss debt restructuring. It doesn’t work like that but you are too unenlightened to know that.
@illsaywhatiwant
@Ayatollah
Kenneth Kaunda was the most Patriotic President….exactly the opposite with HH….HH doesn’t understand that he is the custodian of Zambia…..being unpatriotic means he is not upholding the constitution of Zambia and unfortunately we have very dull Parliamentarians/Lawmakers who cant even challenge the President let alone talk about impeachment….Nigerians are proud of their country…Ghanaians are proud of their country….Congolese are proud of their country…only HH is proud of other countries infrastructure….no wonder he likes traveling
Can town and country planning start with forest 27? It has destroyed the ecosystem there should be no sacred cows…Forest 27 is a semblance of street vending …destroy those structures relocate them if you wish….on the opposite side of forest 27 one selfish individual dammed off a natural stream the result is that it only active during the rain season further up another one has built a wall over the stream,,,please address these issues so that sanity prevails