LUSAKA CITY COUNCIL REVENUE SURGES BY OVER 320% TO K21 MILLION WEEKLY FOLLOWING STREET VENDING REFORMS
LUSAKA | 9 November 2026
Based on reporting by Patricia Mapiki | Additional economic analysis
Lusaka City Council has recorded a significant increase in weekly revenue collections, rising from less than K5 million to K21 million following measures to relocate street vendors into designated trading markets and strengthen revenue mobilisation.
The increase represents growth of more than 320 percent, with the local authority now collecting at least K16 million more per week than it previously did.
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Gift Sialubalo, disclosed that the Council initially raised its weekly collections to K14 million in October 2026 before recording a further increase to K21 million over the past two weeks..
The latest figure exceeds the Council’s initial weekly revenue target of K14 million by K7 million, representing an additional 50 percent increase above that benchmark.
Mr. Sialubalo made the announcement when Lusaka Mayor Chitambala Mwewa paid a courtesy call on him, during which the Minister commended the Mayor and his administration for their revenue mobilisation efforts.
REVENUE PERFORMANCE POINTS TO GREATER COLLECTION CAPACITY
The figures illustrate the potential financial implications of improving revenue administration in Zambia’s largest city.
The Council’s reported weekly revenue performance has progressed through three stages:
– Before the reforms: Less than K5 million per week.
– October 2026: K14 million per week.
– Latest reported collections: K21 million per week.
At the current reported collection rate, Lusaka City Council could mobilise approximately K84 million over four weeks, equivalent to about K1.09 billion annually, provided the weekly performance is maintained throughout the year.
These figures are projections based on the latest weekly collection rate, not confirmed annual revenue.
The increase could significantly strengthen the Council’s capacity to finance municipal operations, maintain public infrastructure and expand essential urban services without relying exclusively on additional funding from central government.
STREET VENDING REORGANISATION AND MARKET MANAGEMENT
The reported improvement follows the Council’s implementation of measures to relocate street vendors from undesignated trading areas into established markets.
The exercise forms part of broader efforts to restore order in Lusaka’s Central Business District, improve sanitation, reduce congestion and bring informal commercial activities into regulated trading facilities.
Formal market operations provide local authorities with an opportunity to improve the administration and collection of legally prescribed market fees and other municipal charges.
However, the Government has also acknowledged the importance of ensuring that traders are allocated suitable market spaces fairly and transparently.
In a ministerial statement delivered to Parliament on 3 November 2026, Mr. Sialubalo disclosed that Lusaka had more than 14,000 available trading spaces across 34 markets, with only 405 spaces allocated at that stage.
This highlights the continuing need to ensure that the relocation programme translates into accessible trading opportunities for small businesses.
DIGITAL REVENUE REFORMS ALSO SUPPORT COLLECTION EFFICIENCY
The developments come as local authorities continue adopting digital revenue collection systems intended to improve accountability and reduce financial leakages.
Earlier this year, the Smart Zambia Institute reported that revenue collected through seven Lusaka City Council services integrated into the e-Council platform increased from K61,000 in January to more than K13.9 million in June 2026.
The digital platform supports payments for selected services, including business levies, property rates, permits, and market and bus station fees.
Those earlier figures cover specific digital services and are not directly comparable with the latest reported Council-wide weekly collections.
The combination of improved enforcement, more organised trading arrangements and digital payment systems presents opportunities for stronger municipal revenue administration, although the contribution of each measure to the latest increase has not been separately quantified.
WHAT THE INCREASE COULD MEAN FOR LUSAKA RESIDENTS
If sustained and efficiently managed, higher municipal revenue could provide additional resources for:
– Improved solid waste management and public sanitation.
– Maintenance of roads, drainage systems and public markets.
– Better street lighting and urban infrastructure.
– Investment in modern market facilities and trading spaces.
– Improved municipal administration and public service delivery.
The financial gains will ultimately need to be assessed against actual expenditure, collection costs and improvements in services received by residents.
A TEST OF FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUSTAINABLE REVENUE GROWTH
The reported increase comes at a time when local authorities are under growing pressure to strengthen their financial independence and improve service delivery.
While the K21 million weekly collection milestone represents a substantial increase over the previous reported level, maintaining that performance will require effective financial controls, transparent reporting and continued engagement with traders.
For Mayor Chitambala Mwewa and his administration, the next challenge will be demonstrating how improved revenue collection translates into cleaner streets, better infrastructure, functional markets and measurable improvements in municipal services.
The Council’s performance also offers an opportunity to examine how revenue administration reforms could be implemented by other local authorities across Zambia.
The central question is no longer simply how much Lusaka City Council can collect, but how effectively that revenue can be converted into public services and sustainable urban development.