THE incomplete high-rise building at the junction of Katondo Street and Freedom Way in Lusaka has become a haven of criminal activities.
The 11-storey building on Katondo Street, which has remained an eyesore for more than 25 years, is owned by Royal Lutanda Company Limited.
The structure was built at a cost of K400 million by the Zambia State Insurance Corporation (ZSIC) but efforts to complete the structure over the years have failed.
ZSIC later in 2000 sold the building at K800 million to another developer.
The building poses a danger to the public as it is used as a hideout for criminals and prostitutes while some street vendors sell and store their merchandise in the incomplete structure despite the threat of some blocks falling off the building.
Some traders who use to keep the merchandise in the building complained that the structure was being used for illegal activities.
They said criminals and street kids used the building as a hiding place after stealing from unsuspecting commuters during the evening rush-hour for transport around Stanley Bar.
Lusaka City Council (LCC) has since appealed to Royal Lutanda to develop the structure.
LCC public relations officer Habeenzu Mulunda said in an interview yesterday that Royal Lutanda Company Limited applied to turn the building into a hotel.
“We received the application from that company last year to turn the building into a hotel and permission, with recommendations, was given to the developer,” Mr Mulunda said.
He said the council was concerned that the building had remained in a state of abandonment to date despite the council having given the developer permission to modernise the structure.
He said the council had only raised concerns about parking space if the building was to be turned into a hotel and requested the developer to address that concern before developing it.
Mr Mulunda said the council had over the years attempted to repossess the building but had been finding difficulties in pursuing the owner following frequent changes of ownership of the structure.
“The biggest challenge for the council is that the building has changed hands so many times and there are always new owners, hence making it difficult for the council to make progress with the developers,” he said.
Gosh, Nairobi and Dar es salaam are on a huge skyscraper building frenzy while our poor Lusaka is still in the dark ages with boring soviet type buildings and unfinished salaula filth house.Whats wrong with us?
and yet they repossess residential plots for individuals who don’t develop them in 4years..
@enka ask yourself some questions: Does Zambia need skyscrapers? Do we have to build skyscrapers because others are building them? Is development equivalent to imitation? The answer to all these questions is No. Skyscrapers are a necessity in Hong Kong and New York. These cities lack land. Zambia has land aplenty. Gaberone has one hundredth New York population it would be silly of the African city to imitate New York. but we Africans believe in copying things rather than letting our needs dictate our planning and originality. any such product we copy is cosmetic. it just brings us headaches because not having understood the reasons or roots of it we don’t know how to cope with its ensuing problems. Ba loose Times have you blocked me? Ok I change my name
Aask yourself some questions : Does Zambia need skyscrapers? Does the country need to imitate New York City? Do we need to build skyscrapers because others are building them? The answer to all these questions is No. Skyscrapers are a necessity in Hong Kong and New York. These cities lack land. Zambia has land aplenty. Gaberone has one hundredth New York s population. It has a lot of space so why would Botswana and Zambia have to build skyscrapers? African s need to stop cosmetic copying. SUCH copying means we import problems whose solutions we dont have. Development needs to be dictated by necessity not because we need to keep up with the Jonesses
Evidence of lawlessness and impunity that has been destroying our country for decades. That building has been an eyesore for 25 years and nobody takes action. The Lusaka City Council is responsible for this and they should not give us lame excuses. Hope that hasn’t been a source of under table income for some clever guys.
same shit different day
same crap different day
and that chi crane, let Lusaka have some earth tremor, not eartquake but tremor, and that thing will come crushing on those Katondo boys
For 25 years,take note
Why can’t the government itself develop it and make a hotel, they can buy off some neighboring scrap buildings to for packing.
Just demolished it and erect car fee parking,with 4 stairs.
“lets put all street vendors there and the town will be clean”, just thinking
Sell the building and space then let the developer bear the cost of pulling it down.
Stop beating about the bush where there is no bush.
Useless and incompetent LCC! The thing has been used for criminal activities for many years and you know this! Useless council management, you also need to change hands!
demolish it if they have no use for it..?or repossess…give it to the Chinese..
Ba LT unblock my brother PERCY Mist please
On behalf of PERCY Mist: @enka ask yourself some questions : Does Zambia need skyscrapers? Does the country need to imitate New York City? Do we need to build skyscrapers because others are building them? The answer to all these questions is No. Skyscrapers are a necessity in Hong Kong and New York. These cities lack land. Zambia has land aplenty. Gaberone has one hundredth New York s population. It has a lot of space so why would Botswana and Zambia have to build skyscrapers? Africans need to stop cosmetic copying. SUCH artificial copying means we import problems whose solutions we dont have. Development needs to be dictated by necessity not because we need to keep up with the Jonesses
Incomplete building -symbolic of our incomplete commitment to rule of law,having a new constitution,urban cleanliness and order and our incomplete approach to serious work ethic to quash poverty.Everything in zambia is exemplified by this building.