Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has submitted to the Government of the Republic of Zambia that it has made considerable progress towards the completion of developing a Comprehensive Regional Development Masterplan (RDP) for the Greater Lusaka City.
Through the masterplan, JICA is supporting Zambia in developing a plan to guide the Lusaka City’s urban development, and embrace the surrounding Districts to ensure sustainability.
The need for RDP for Lusaka City was considered essential due to the rapid increase in population in the districts surrounding that include; Chibombo, Chilanga, Chongwe and Kafue, according to the latest Census report released in 2022.
The report showed a growth rate of 6.4% in Chibombo and Chilanga, 6.9% in Chongwe and 5.1% in Kafue, while the population in Lusaka remained relatively static.
Senior representative at JICA-Zambia Office, Mr Keita Izumi, has stated that JICA has made significant progress in completing the RDP document aimed at addressing challenges decelerating urban development of Lusaka City, and its surrounding districts.
Mr Keita was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Hon Gary Nkombo, MP, recently to submit a report on the undertaking by JICA in developing the RDP for the Greater City of Lusaka.
He informed the Minister that the RDP Masterplan will address challenges hindering urban development such as; inadequate housing, transport and road infrastructure, solid waste management, industrial development, water and sanitation, and drainage.
Mr Keita requested the Zambian Government to submit to JICA all priority areas for consideration for implementation once the RDP Masterplan commences by 2025.
In response, Hon Nkombo commended Japan for its unwavering support to enhance sustainable development, and improvement of living conditions for the Greater Lusaka.
“We are happy with your progress towards actualisation of this RDP masterplan, and we are looking forward to the implementation of this project” Hon Nkombo stated.
He said, this is particularly that, Government is also undertaking a rigorous exercise aimed at addressing the challenges posed by unplanned human settlements in some parts of the Country.
On 16th January 2024, Hon Nkombo, through a Circular to all Town Clerks and Council Secretaries, directed all Local Authorities to embark on the preparation of Local Area Plans (LAPs) for the upgrading of unplanned human settlements, and that all stakeholders, especially the local communities, should be involved.
Government is committed to enforce the Urban and Regional Planning Act No. 3 of 2015, which provides for among other key issues that; development control must be enhanced and enforced as provided in Section (71).
With particular reference to Lusaka, Hon Nkombo stated that one of the interventions in upgrading unplanned human settlements to proper Suburbs would involve identifying land within, and on the outskirts of the City for possible human resettlement as part of the upgrading process.
Hon Nkombo cited the current status of unplanned human settlements in among other areas; Chibolya, Misisi, George and Kanyama, that had hindered the delivery of essential services such as standard roads and drainage systemsaccelerate its developmental trajectory.
