GOVERNMENT has announced plans to adopt urban planning strategies from Tokyo, Japan, to address the challenges of rapid urbanisation and improve the development of the capital city.
Speaking at a consultative meeting on the Lusaka City Master Plan, Permanent Secretary for Local Government and Rural Development, Nicholas Phiri revealed that the government has engaged the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to assist in the city’s upgrade.
JICA experts have so far conducted a comprehensive assessment of Lusaka’s urban planning needs, including a review of the 2009 Lusaka Master Plan, household surveys, and capacity assessments of local experts.
The government’s decision to adopt Tokyo’s urban planning strategies comes as part of a broader effort to improve development planning at the local level.
Yesterday, Government and JICA held a consultative meeting on the findings of the upgrading of the Lusaka City Master Plan at the UNZA Confucius Institute Hall.
During the meeting, Phiri said the gathering had been organised specifically to share experiences from Japan on how Lusaka can manage the increasing population and respond to the accelerating urbanisation in a well ordered and sustainable manner.
Phiri added that the Japanese team will soon be commencing work on the plan for the redevelopment of the Central Business District, sector plans, implementation strategy and setting key priority projects.
He said four planning authorities are coming together to formulate the plan with mutual benefits to all the regions, as it will incorporate Chibombo, Chilanga, Kafue and Chongwe districts as well.
He emphasised that the government’s development agenda aims to ensure that all 116 districts have IDPs by the end of the year.
“The greater development plan for the city of the region of Lusaka seats very much within the government’s policy direction to ensure that development is controlled and at every level,” said Phiri.
Meanwhile, JICA Zambia chief representative, Tateyamq Jotaro noted that both Zambia and Japan faced common urban planning challenges, such as the need for comprehensive development plans to accommodate growing populations and address issues related to density-built areas and disordered sprawl.
“ While urban areas expanded to suburbs, the need arose for the government of Japan to make interventions so that land would be used in an efficient manner without disordered sprawl and the regional infrastructure would be developed such as transportation, public spaces and greenery,” said Tateyama.
Tokyo, the capital of Japan is considered as one of the world’s most populous metropolises and stands as also one of the most well planned cities globally.
By Buumba Mwitumwa
Kalemba September 13, 2024
