Impact of Change of Administrative Status of Choma on Housing Rentals

In a quest of bring development in Zambia, his Excellency the 5th president Mr. Michael Sata made several pronouncements which saw the creation of new districts and provincial capitals as well as a new province in Zambia. Choma town was made a provincial capital of Southern province of Zambia without prior investment in housing. This pronouncement saw the immediate movement of people from the former provincial capital Livingstone, as a result putting pressure on the few houses that existed then. This saw an increase in rentals without regarding the Law guiding landlords and tenants alike, the Rent Act. However from 2011 to 2015 new housing stock had been built in Choma town to cushion the deficit that existed. Despite the new housing stock which is enough for the population of Choma town, housing rentals are still on the increase and are above the 25 percent of the disposable income. Housing rentals are not supposed to be above the 25 percent of disposable income.