Civic Forum on Housing and Habitat Zambia […]

Civic Forum on Housing and Habitat Zambia Programme Coordinator Grace Mtonga has raised alarm over the lack of implementation of most land policies, citing that this has affected the resolve to reduce the housing deficit.

Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times, Mtonga cited the 1996 National Housing Policy, which was bound to promote private sector participation in the housing market. It also allowed the government to providing serviced land and streamline regulations and promote construction materials for local builders.

 Despite the policy winning recognition at the UN Habitat Governing Council, it was not fully implemented, facing significant challenges of finance. Dr. Mtonga revealed that this utimately, lead to a housng shortage that currently stands at 1.5 million housing units and also led to the mushrooming of informal settlements.

 “There is a lack of total commitment from the political sphere, because our national development plans are tied to the political tenure, of a seating government, mostly the policies are not well funded, if we look at the National Housing Policy of 1996 the only thing that came out was the Presidential Housing Initiative.,” she added.

Mtonga observed that sometimes the policy implementation is hindered by the politicization of the boards, thereby affecting the ultimate resolve of the matter.

 “It’s one thing having a policy document and it’s to have resources dedicated both human and financial resource, mostly sometimes the people that steer the policies are politically aligned and detached from development,” she stated.

Most of the objectives of the policy are engulfed by political interests, leading to the delay and failure of implementation. The consequences strike far deeper, as most of the policies cannot keep pace with the fast rising development.

 “Development was engulfed by politicians, men and women that are chosen to lead these boards, these should be men and women of integrity, we should have boards that are air tight, these should be men and women that are without political affiliation,” Dr. Mtonga urged the government.

Article by Samuel Mutale