By Respite Kaoma,
Local Government and Rural Development Minister Gift Sialubalo has warned that no individual or firm will be allowed to practise planning without proper registration under the Urban and Regional Planning Act, which is currently under review to align with evolving professional standards.
Speaking during the 11th National Planning Conference in Kitwe, held under the theme “Transforming Development Planning: Aligning Laws, Systems, Spaces and People,” Mr. Sialubalo urged planners to defend their profession and take a leading role in national development discussions.
Meanwhile, renowned lawyer Dickson Jere has criticized planners for approving land subdivisions without adequately verifying on-the-ground conditions, warning that political influence continues to shape development decisions.
Mr. Jere cited areas such as Matero and Lusaka Central, where recreational spaces have disappeared, and Salama Park, where poorly planned developments have seen boreholes placed close to pit latrines—raising concerns over potential cholera outbreaks.
And Zambia Institute of Planners President Busiku Sulwe has backed calls for stronger professional standards, stating that the institute is working to address inconsistencies in the definition of a planner.
Mr. Sulwe highlighted confusion between the Urban and Regional Planners Act of 2015, the National Planning and Budgeting Act of 2020, and the institute’s 2018 constitution.
