Appalling Lusaka City Roads and Sidewalks

Some sidewalks in Lusaka town centre have deteriorated so much that it is appallingly and a shame. When you factor in the dismal and poor quality of shops and buildings in the Central Business District (CBD), you get the impression that you have landed in a characteristicallly tired, old and abandoned town. This picture is notonly common to Lusaka but in many parts of the country.

Zambia is a country that has never been at war for the council to use as a scapegoat and shroud for it's failure to maintain road infrastrucure in the CBD. One of the sidewalks in deplorable state is found along the notoriously famous Katondo street between Chachacha road and Freedom Way. One wonders just how long it is going to take the City Council to realize that the walkways are in such a begging state for them to start addressing the problem.

Roads in residential areas are even in much worse state. It is even a wonder how private cars and public transport plies along these bad roads. Most of the roads don't even give a visitor any clue that  they were once paved. It is understandable that the City has no capacity let alone equipment to undertake road repairs to professional standard and quality that is taken for granted in developed and some developing countries. This is where the private sector comes in. But the private sector must be well equipped and be able to perform road and sidewalk construction professionally and with integrity. Unfortunately these qualities are rare in Zambia. Road projects must be done so that the roads and sidewalks so constructed can last upto 50 years or beyond. However, this is not the case. Roads that were recently constructed during the Second Republic already have pot holes. One example is Lumumba road in Lusaka. What is the cause of this? Causes are public knowledge!