Lusaka Description

Here’s a bit of information about this interesting town, Lusaka. Like many towns in the western U.S., it is relatively young. In the early 20th century it was started as a railway siding, and then a farming area for white settlers. It doesn’t have any significant natural resources other than the land and some water, so as far as I can tell its amazing growth has just been due to its convenient location in the middle of Zambia and the momentum brought to the area by the white settlers.

While over a million people live in the Lusaka area, it is certainly not as developed as an American city of this size would be. There are large vacant lots of land visible around town, and the downtown business district is quite small – about 6 blocks long and 3 blocks wide. The only street with high rise buildings is Cairo road, with the tallest being about 20 stories. As I am learning, the formal business economy in Zambia is relatively small, and the population is generally not as materialistic. Homes are often shared by larger family groups, and car ownership is not as common.

One of the things about life in Lusaka that strikes me is how broad and obvious the range of economic standing of the residents is. There are Zambians (both black and white) living quite comfortably with SUV’s, maids, and security guards. In contrast there are also plenty of people eking out a living in the “informal sector” as it is called by selling goods on the street corner, or working as day laborers for the minimum wage of about $3/day. For this group bus fare (about 50 cents, depending on the distance) can be a prohibitive cost. For this group, and also sometimes Zambians of moderate means, I am learning that I am a target. Prices are often higher for me, and people are very forward in requesting gifts of food, money, or things that they see me with.