Community led Total Sanitation Legal Enforcement team in Kalomo has recommended for the closure of both the local police station cells and the entire Zimba police post structure citing lack of compliance to the public health Act 295.
The team has also given a 30 days ultimatum for the rehabilitation of dilapidated structures at the Kalomo state prison or risk being recommended for closure for failing to comply with the public health Act.
The recommendations for closures are contained in letters dated April 30, signed by the joint enforcement team Secretary, Alfred Mungalu on behalf of his Chairperson, His Royal Highness Chief Chikanta of the Tonga speaking people of Kalomo, who is also House of Chiefs Vice Chairperson and Southern province Royal Foundation Secretary.
The letter stated to the prisons authority that the remandees cells that were supposed to accommodate 35 suspects now accommodate 63 which is a violation of the provisions of the public health Act in relation to sanitation and housing
The Kalomo police station cells were described as being in an unsatisfactory condition and that the cells should close with immediate effect until the condition was rectified.
Meanwhile, sanity has come back to the once first administrative town of the country, Kalomo after the team swung into action last week to enforce the public health Act 295, food and drugs Act cap 303 and the liquor licensing Act of no.20 of 2011 to address issues of public nuisance.
The liquor licensing Act no. 20 of 2011 has been one with the most public nuisance, being noncompliance to Statutory instrument no. 96, regulation 4 which restricts the opening of liquor and beer entities to certain hours which had been not adhered to for since time immemorial.
So far 16 cases have been taken to court by the team for law breaking of the above Acts in an effort to bring sanity in the town.
Kalomo District Council Chairperson, Japhet Simunza and Chief Sipatuntanya who is team Vice Chairperson welcomed the move and hoped the same should be extended in all the 22 wards of the district.
12 hours is the earliest hour when beer places are to open up until 23 hours on a weekly, day basis for ordinary outlets like bars, bottle stores, restaurants and social liquor clubs.
Night clubs are supposed to open at 19 hours to midnight or 03 hours only on weekends, as stipulated in regulation 4, signed by the then local government Minister, Brigadier General Doctor Brian Chituwo on August 12, 2011.
Liquor distributors are not exceptional and have been banned from selling the commodity especially those for opaque beer to unlicensed retailers while those dealing in edibles are required to have food handlers’ certificates with butcheries to have running water and health permits.
ZANIS
Restaurants should atleast operate from 0700hrs not 1200hrs please.
I feel sorry to visit most of the public place which include stations. Thumbs up for the courage taken by Kalomo leadership to exercise powers vested in them. True decentralisation. Police cells and prisons are the worst places in our country. Please community leaders dont sing songs of praise to leaders when the vist you instead look after your facilities. Personally i dont even enter Mkushi council club because i dont like the smell.
Law enforcement extended to the real sense…is the Police amenable to the Law? This is a novel situation
Good job by this Health Officers. PF, now at work. This Police should be locked up for one week to make them feel what it is to dehumanise a Human being. Worst than colonial times slavery.Please, please, keep up the good work. Thank u your Highness.The one at Livingstone should also be closed. Twalumba Kapati.
#3 – you will see HH followers will soon say it is witch hunting by PF in southern province
Oh come now you guys, you should have left the poor police post alone, start with UTH, it definitely needs to be closed for non compliance with sanitation, believe me youll be saving lives.
come to think of it you might as well close all the prisons, most of the schools, hospitals and markets. Also need to “close ” large shanty compounds where the majority of urban dwellers live.
Thanx zanis for putting the 1st capital some press coverage