Lusaka - Zambia
Information on the City of Lusaka
Lusaka is a city whose bustling chaos has a certain charm which is quintessentially Zambia.
The
tourist passing through the capital may not see any reason to stay, but
Lusaka is the product of a country battling to find its way in a new world,
caught between colonial beginnings, years of socialist independence and
now democracy. It typifies the problems many African countries face as they
find their "independent" footing in a world that is surging ahead.
The fascinating thing about Lusaka is its energy. Not perhaps of the same ilk as that of New York City, but an African energy, propelled by that need to survive.
Lusaka is as much a part of "the real Africa" as Zambia’s rich national parks and stunning scenery. Well over 60% of its 2 million inhabitants are unemployed, but there are surprisingly few beggars. Although petty theft occurs, most people try to make an honest living, selling their wares or services, and smiling to boot.
The markets are a hive of activity; the thousands of stalls being filled and cleared every day. A myriad of motor spares dealers, restaurants, hairdressers, fishmongers, fruit sellers and rows and rows of "salaula" - discarded clothing from the West sold to Africa by the bale.
But Lusaka is also a city undergoing a facelift. A walk around the city will reveal new shops – including a new market and a multi-million dollar shopping mall under construction, smart fast food outlets, new double carriageway roads, old buildings being refurbished and the transformation of the city's parks.
For many, this is the perfect example of what economic liberalisation has done for the country. And viewed from the villages, Lusaka is the glittering capital which still persuades rural Zambians to take the bus there in search of jobs and dreams.
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