More than Fifty Residents of Zimbabwe Compound in Lusaka’s State Lodge area whose houses were demolished by authorities on July 22, 2022 are still stranded.
This came after the authorities demolished the houses after a court ruled that they were mere squatters.
The residents spent their second night in the open this weekend, with Kabulonga Ward 19 Councilor Kosamu Tembo assuring the affected families that he will find means to assist them to come out of the devastating situation.
Squatter settlements are a major vice in Zambia threatening the provision of social amenities.
At some point, residents of Misisi, Ngwenya and Kuku compounds of Lusaka are appealed to government to legalize their settlements to enable them have access to basic social needs such as water, health services, schools and proper roads.
The settlements, which had no schools, health services, clean drinking water and proper road networks, were home to a lot of people yet Government insist they are illegal settlements therefore not mandated to provide these services to them.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS, the other day, Charles Kafumbo, a resident of Kuku compound, said the compounds have been in existence since independence and that it is saddening that 50 years after independence, the settlements are still illegal.