By HOPE BWALYA –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has directed the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to deliver the National Housing Policy that will address challenges facing the sector.
Local Government and Housing Minister John Phiri said the ministry had since successfully completed national housing policy stakeholder’s consultations in the 10 provincial centres.
During a Press briefing on the National Housing Policy, Dr Phiri said Government was committed to ensuring that the country had a National Housing Policy that would ensure that all Zambians participate and have a fair share of the massive development including housing.
“To this effect, President Edgar Lungu has instructed the Ministry of Local Government and Housing, which I am privileged to lead, to deliver the national housing policy that will address challenges facing this sector,” he said.

. Dr Phiri

Dr Phiri said according to the Central Statistical report, Zambia was projected to experience a housing deficit of three million by 2030.
According to the 2010 statistics, Zambia had a 1.3 million housing deficit and was projected to exceed three million by the year 2030.
Dr Phiri said one of the causes of the housing deficit was the fast growing population.
Zambia’s population is among the fastest growing populations in the world, growing at a 2.8 per cent yearly. Currently, the population stands at 13 million with an estimated increase to 23.5 million by 2030.
He said inadequate housing finance, high interest rates, inadequate access to land, unaffordable building materials and mortgages were some of the unfavourable factors that hindered development in the sector.
This situation had forced Government to outline functional policies that would guide sustainable housing development in the country.
He said in an effort to address the housing deficit, Government had embarked on reviewing the 1996 National Housing Policy in a bid to make it relevant to the prevailing challenges.
Dr Phiri also said Government was working hard to fight illegal land allocations by updating and harmonising spatial planning legislation to help in curbing illegal allocations of land.
He said the legislation would replace all outdated policies that govern land allocation as well as housing.
“The legislation will repeal, harmonise and replace the town and country planning Act Cap 283 of 1962 and the housing Act Cap 194 of 1974 which are outdated,” he said.
He said the 1962 and 1974 Acts where complex and did not meet the current planning needs of the country.
Dr Phiri said the ministry was in the process of meeting with traditional leaders to discuss issues regarding land allocation.