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PUBLIC PROTECTOR PROTECTOR RESPONDS TO COMMUNITY OUTCRY
2017/12/01 09:16:47 AM
PUBLIC PROTECTOR PROBES THE SELLING OF “CHANDA CASTLE ROAD” AFTER COMMUNITY OUTCRY
The Office of the Public Protector has instituted an investigation into the alleged selling of a portion of Chanda Castle Road situated off Kafue Road in Kanyama Constituency.
Community Members of John Laing township, where the road is situated, lodged the complaint to the Public Protector after failure to resolve the issue with the Ministry of Lands and the Ministry of Local Government and Housing.
Facts of the Complaint are that:
The road which has been in existence for more than 25 years and measures 40.2 Meters wide was earmarked to be upgraded to bituminous standard under the Phase II L400 Road Rehabilitation Project in Kanyama Constituency.
As the processes of preparation to begin the upgrade of the road to bituminous standard were taking place, the Community Members discovered that a portion of the road had been sold to a developer named “Messrs Lusaka Muslim Culture Centre”. The selling of the road is Contrary to Section 53 of the Urban and Region Planning Act No 3 of 2015 of the Laws of Zambia as notice was not given before selling the land.
The road is situated in a Heavy Duty Industrial Area with Factories, Truck yards and Workshops. Hence, the selling of a portion of the Road has been of concern not only to the residents of John Laing but the Business community in the area. This is because they need a wide road to conduct their businesses as the fleet of trucks used to transport goods need adequate turning space, which will not be available once the said developer erects a building on the road.
Aside from the Businesses, a 4 meter stretch of the 40.2 meters Chanda Castle Road is host to 13KVA ZESCO Lines and ZAMTEL Cables, which leaves up to 36 Meters of the Road qualifying it as and Branch or Urban Road according to Section 21(2) of the Public Road Act No 12 of 2002 of the Laws of Zambia.
The Public Protector has therefore instituted an investigation into the matter to correct the administrative injustice against the Community members of John Laing.
*A Site visit to John Liang by Investigation Officers this morning (Thursday 30th November, 2017) from the Office of the Public Protector showed evidence of demarcations and beacons placed in the said portion of the road. *
Public Protector Zambia
