Lusaka Mayor Condemns Vandalism of Street Signage, Praises ZICTA Collaboration
Lusaka Mayor, Chilando Chitangala, has expressed concern over the rising incidents of vandalism targeting street name signage across the city.
Describing the act as unpatriotic, Mayor Chitangala emphasized that such behavior undermines the efforts of the Lusaka City Council to ensure that all planned settlements are properly labeled for easy identification, access, and the delivery of essential services.
“The high rate at which street signs are being destroyed is alarming and hinders our goal of effectively managing the city’s infrastructure,” said Ms. Chitangala.
She urged communities that have benefited from the street naming and house numbering initiative to take responsibility for protecting these signs.
The mayor warned that individuals caught vandalizing public property would face strict consequences.
In contrast, Mayor Chitangala commended the Zambia Information & Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) for its ongoing collaboration with the Lusaka City Council in the street numbering and naming project.
This partnership, which dates back to 2012, has seen various areas including Mass Media, PHI, Roma, Emmasdale, Kamwala South, Salama Park, Kabwata, and parts of Matero constituency, benefit from the initiative.
The mayor acknowledged the financial challenges that have slowed the full roll-out of the exercise but reaffirmed her commitment to the project.
“Despite the constraints, our partnership with ZICTA has been invaluable, and we remain dedicated to expanding this initiative to more areas within the city,” she added.
Ms. Chitangala’s remarks came after a meeting with a team from ZICTA and officers from the Lusaka City Council City Planning Department, where they discussed strategies to raise public awareness on the importance of street numbering and naming.
The mayor also announced plans to appear in upcoming advertisements and documentaries aimed at promoting the initiative and encouraging community participation.
