Zambia has completed the transition of leadership in its housing and infrastructure sector, formally splitting the combined portfolio into two distinct ministries. According to the Lusaka Times, the former combined minister, Charles Milupi, handed over office to Christopher Kalila, who now oversees Housing, and Collins Nzovu, who leads Infrastructure and Urban Development. This structural change is intended to ensure continuity in government programmes and policy implementation under the new administrative arrangement.
Dr Kalila stated that his ministry will collaborate with stakeholders to meet citizen housing needs, aligning efforts with the Grow Zambia Agenda. He emphasized the importance of staff cooperation to provide affordable and sustainable housing. Meanwhile, Mr Nzovu identified inadequate funding, project delays, and shortages of technical personnel as primary obstacles to infrastructure development. He pledged to enhance oversight of active construction works to guarantee punctual delivery and responsible spending, while also prioritising the upgrading of informal settlements.
The previous combined minister, Mr Milupi, urged the incoming leaders to build on existing progress and focus on the continuous upkeep of public assets. He noted that regular upkeep saves money compared to fixing or replacing broken systems. He also highlighted that construction of homes for the elderly in Chinsali and Choma districts had reached 87 and 84 percent completion, respectively, at the time of the handover.
In a related development concerning water services, the Lusaka Times reported that the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation is facing pressure to improve collaboration with civil society. Minister Elisha Matambo met with the NGO WASH Forum in Lusaka, acknowledging the role of its 65 member organisations in community engagement across all ten provinces. He called for stronger coordination to ensure interventions respond to actual community needs.
Marlon Phiri, chair of the WASH Forum, argued that climate-related challenges, including recent El Niño-induced droughts, have exposed the vulnerability of public services. He called for increased investment in groundwater development and solar-powered water systems to address premature failures in rural water points. Additionally, coordinator Bubala Mumba highlighted financial sustainability issues, noting that government institutions owe approximately 458 million Kwacha in unpaid invoices to private water providers by the end of 2025. She observed that liabilities among these providers had risen to over 3.5 billion Kwacha by June 2026, prompting calls for timely release of approved funds to support sector maintenance.