Fri, 26 Jan 2018 09:10:57 +0000 By Philip Chirwa BEFORE Zambia attained its independence in 1964, there were no shanty compounds. People only resided in authorized settlements owned by either government, municipal councils or contractors who were engaged in various construction, quarrying, brick-making and other projects. The colonial government imposed heavy restrictions on rural-urban migration. If one came into town from the village, for example, one was given a pass which allowed him to look for employment during a specified period. The pass could be extended depending on the prevailing circumstances. But if one failed to find a job during the given period, one was expected to return to one’s village. And to ensure that this regulation was strictly adhered to, the colonial police used to carry out periodic raids, popularly known as “chipekeni”, on townships in search of illegal immigrants or visitors. Visitors were also required to obtain passes from local council sub-offices specifying […]
