By CHARITY MOONGA –

THE incomplete high-rise building at the junction of Katondo Street and Freedom Way in Lusaka has become a haven of criminal activities.
The 11-storey building on Katondo Street, which has remained an eyesore for more than 25 years, is owned by Royal Lutanda Company Limited.
The structure was built at a cost of K400 million by the Zambia State Insurance Corporation (ZSIC) but efforts to complete the structure over the years have failed.
ZSIC later in 2000 sold the building at K800 million to another developer.
The building poses a danger to the public as it is used as a hideout for criminals and prostitutes while some street vendors sell and store their merchandise in the incomplete structure despite the threat of some blocks falling off the building.
Some traders who use to keep the merchandise in the building complained that the structure was being used for illegal activities.
They said criminals and street kids used the building as a hiding place after stealing from unsuspecting commuters during the evening rush-hour for transport around Stanley Bar.
Lusaka City Council (LCC) has since appealed to Royal Lutanda to develop the structure.
LCC public relations officer Habeenzu Mulunda said in an interview yesterday that Royal Lutanda Company Limited applied to turn the building into a hotel.
“We received the application from that company last year to turn the building into a hotel and permission, with recommendations, was given to the developer,” Mr Mulunda said.
He said the council was concerned that the building had remained in a state of abandonment to date despite the council having given the developer permission to modernise the structure.
He said the council had only raised concerns about parking space if the building was to be turned into a hotel and requested the developer to address that concern before developing it.
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