The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), through a delegation from Lusaka and the Provincial Office in Ndola, has conducted a sensitisation meeting with the Chililabombwe District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) on the functionality and operationalisation of the Copperbelt Provincial Planning Appeals Tribunal, which was launched on 20th April 2026 in Ndola.
Speaking during the meeting, Assistant Director of Regional Planning at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kelvin Chabulembwa, said the establishment of the Tribunal was aimed at decentralising authority and providing a more convenient avenue for members of the public and developers to exercise their right to appeal against contested decisions made by local authorities relating to land use, planning approvals and building permissions.
During the presentation, it was highlighted that any person aggrieved by a decision made by a local authority regarding planning matters, change of land use, or building permission may lodge an appeal with the Tribunal Secretariat located at the Provincial Planning Office in Ndola. The appellant is also required to serve a copy of the appeal to the local authority whose decision is being contested.
The Tribunal will subsequently notify the concerned local authority of the appeal and set a date for hearing the matter. A determination on the appeal is expected to be delivered within sixty (60) days from the date of hearing.
Furthermore, if an appellant is dissatisfied with the decision of the Provincial Planning Appeals Tribunal, they have the right to further appeal to the High Court of Zambia.
Mr Chabulembwa, however, clarified that the right to appeal does not extend to matters involving pure policy disagreements, issues already determined by the courts, or political and ministerial discretion exercised lawfully.
Meanwhile, District Commissioner Mr Kelly Jibinga acknowledged the need for extensive sensitisation on the Tribunal, noting that since its launch on the Copperbelt Province, no appeals had been received despite the Ministry previously handling numerous complaints before the Tribunal’s establishment.
Mr Jibinga further encouraged Chililabombwe Municipal Council to include information on the right of appeal in all enforcement notices and planning permission communications issued to developers and affected parties. He said this would enhance public awareness and ensure that citizens are informed of the available legal remedies when dissatisfied with planning decisions.
The District Commissioner also pledged that the district administration and the local authority would continue making decisions in accordance with established laws and procedures.
“We will follow procedures as prescribed by the laws and statutory instruments,” Mr Jibinga said.
Speaking at the same meeting, Chililabombwe Municipal Council Town Clerk, Mrs Shilla C. Songolo, thanked the Government of the Republic of Zambia for decentralising the Planning Appeals Tribunal and bringing the service closer to the people of the Copperbelt Province.
Mrs Songolo noted that prior to the establishment of the Provincial Tribunal, citizens wishing to exercise their right of appeal were required to travel to Lusaka, a process that was both costly and inconvenient. She further thanked the Ministry’s delegation from Lusaka and the Provincial Office for undertaking the sensitisation programme among local authorities and stakeholders.
She also called upon residents and developers to always seek approval from local planning authorities before undertaking any developments and to desist from engaging in illegal construction activities.
