Community and development activist, Lupinda Lupinda says under development across the country is the main source for various social and economic ills dogging Lusaka today, as most people migrate from rural areas to the capital in search of greener pastures which are not even there.
“So many criminals in Lusaka due to limited or lack of opportunities. People from all over Zambia are moving to Lusaka to find opportunities which are not there as a result criminality is abound.
“Instead of developing the other provinces focus is on Lusaka. For what?” says Lupinda, adding that the government should decentralise development.
Meanwhile, political researcher, Dr Cephas Mukuka, concurrs saying it is sad that the rural urban drift has continued and this time around at a faster rate, he adds that as Lusaka is expanding rapidly with few job opportunities in sight, it is causing problems.
Equally the population is swelling to the extent of leaving many citizens without anything to help mitigate negative impact created by the economical harshness. Government has to open up rural areas so as to decongest the line of rail.
Dr Mukuka, adds that instead of putting up infrastructure such as roads, flyover bridges, alone, the government should put up industries and factories as well, so that they create employment to absorb the growing population.
“The line of rail is full of unproductive persons due to lack of jobs and these people resort to criminality.
“Decentralisation is actually the answer and key to many of these problems the citizenry are facing.
“You don’t have to get to NAPSA, in Lusaka to ask about your dues, instead open up provincial capital cities to handle related matters,” he said.
Dr Mukuka added that under normal circumstances, provincial capitals need development that is almost equal to the main cities of a nation, and called on political parties to seriously plan along rural urban drifts, as well as to have a clear vision on decentralization.
He also urged all those with advice regarding urban planning to engage those in power for all to benefit, in the One Zambia One Nation spirit without leaving anyone behind.
According to a research by Mulunda Mwanza, of North Western University in South Africa titled, Rural-urban migration and urban employment in Zambia, in Zambia, over 90% of secondary school leavers in rural areas migrate to cities within the 1st year of graduation.
The subsistence sector has experienced no significant improvement in productivity, and as rural-urban income differentials widened this has acted as a stimulant to rural-urban migration.