Boarding house registration isn’t enough intensify monitoring – Expert

After the Lusaka City Council issued a one-month ultimatum to illegal boarding houses to register, many are starting to question the underlying issue of the expansion of illegality.

But does this entirely reflect on the LCC’ lack of strict monitoring across townships? With the increase in demand of student accommodation, most of the homeowners are tilting their attention towards the business, doing so without regard for the law, commented Landlord and Tenant Information Referral Center (LTIRC) Director Roban Muke in an interview with the Zambia Business Times (ZBT).

“Although there is a law, most of these people were not sensitized to address the situation, and the government was reluctant. We have seen most of them changing from residential to commercial without due process without the government knowing, which means people are stealing,” said Muke.

He revealed that initially the alteration of the license from residential to commercial is subject to rechange at the Ministry of Lands or the Council. Interestingly, some of the landlords are inconsiderate of licenses such as fire and health and sanitization, which poses a higher risk to the students.

The illegality has spread across different parts of Lusaka in areas such as Thornpark, Kabulonga, and places near colleges and universities.

As the ultimatum ticks, stakeholders are questioning whether the council will not just deal with the issue on the punitive level but also the regulatory framework and hurdles that surround the process.

Article by Samuel Mutale