Squatter upgrading in Zambia : adequacy of the institutional framework
Abstract
The Government of Zambia plans to become a prosperous middle-income country by
2030. Therefore, it has announced intentions to upgrade squatter settlements to improve
the living conditions of the urban poor, and enable them to participate in the vision.
However, without a squatter upgrading framework in place, the research assumed
government would use the existing Lusaka Squatter Upgrading Project (LSUP)
framework. Hence, this research titled Squatter Upgrading in Zambia: Adequacy of the
Institutional Framework, undertook to examine the extent to which the existing
institutional framework was adequate for initiating and supporting squatter upgrading.
The research draws on an analysis of data gathered from in-depth interviews with 102
participants (including central and local governments, NGOs, financial institutions, and
squatter residents) observations and documentary review.
The research has traced the close links between governance – in the form of the
historical legacy of colonialism, post-colonial socialist housing policies and power
dynamics between central and local government - and the growth of informal housing
within Zambia. Further, it has shown that the culture of clientelism is a major barrier to
future efforts to upgrade squatter settlements. While this study took place in Zambia, it
is likely that similar links between governance and the growth of squatter settlements
are likely to be found in many other Sub-Saharan countries. Similarly, the clear links
between the critical success factors that relate to governance and the likely effectiveness
of efforts to improve living conditions in squatter settlements are likely to be borne out
in other sub-Saharan contexts. Moreover, the research revealed the importance of power
dynamics between local and central governments. The research has shown how central
government wrestles power from local councils through fiscal and administrative
manipulations using the very law that created them as autonomous entities.
Additionally, this research has expanded the definition of the urban housing situation to
include the quality, tenure, and spatial location aspects. Finally, the research confirmed
existing literature regarding the importance of tenure security in influencing investment
decisions in housing improvements. It established that as long as squatters gained the
assurance of being ‘safe’ from eviction, they made decisions to improve their houses.
Key words: squatter upgrading, institutional framework, adequacy, governance, power
dynamics, Zambia