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The Lusaka City Council has announced that it will dedicate 20 percent of annual parking levy revenue to improving walking and cycling infrastructure across the city.
Mayor Chilando Chitangala said the decision, approved earlier in 2025 during the Third Ordinary Council Meeting, has been in effect since January 1, 2026.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Tuesday, Chitangala said the move marks an important step toward a healthier and safer future for the city.
“By expanding clean and reliable transportation options, we can significantly reduce the risk of road traffic injuries while improving the overall well-being of our residents,” she said.
Chitangala explained that the investment was supported by the Partnership for Healthy Cities, a global network of more than 70 cities committed to saving lives by preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)—such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer—and injuries.
She said the Lusaka City Council agreed that beginning January 1, 2026, 20 percent of revenue collected from parking levies each year would be dedicated to constructing walking and cycling lanes.
“This initiative is being implemented under the Housing and Community Amenities Sub-Program, Roads and Drainage, which has allocated a total of K1,491,440, representing 20 percent of the total annual parking fees, as reaffirmed during the 4th Ordinary Council Meeting held on January 14, 2026,” Chitangala said.
She said the progress demonstrated the Council’s leadership in advancing a more sustainable and people-centered transportation network.
Chitangala noted that when the Cycling and Pedestrian Safety Policy was approved in 2024, it set a clear plan for how the city would invest in and expand safe walking and cycling options for all residents.
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“To guide the implementation of the upgraded road infrastructure in Lusaka, the City Council developed the Lusaka Non-Motorized Transport Guide, which outlines phased interventions to improve walkways,” she said.
The guide also includes provisions for cycling facilities and intersection designs, and provides standards, guidelines, and design principles for NMT infrastructure across the city.
She stressed the importance of reducing preventable deaths by implementing policies proven to limit exposure to risk factors such as unsafe streets.
Chitangala noted that through the Partnership for Healthy Cities, participating cities commit to one of 14 evidence-based interventions—ranging from improving road safety to creating smoke-free public spaces and promoting healthier diets.
“The Partnership is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the global health organization Vital Strategies,” she said.
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