Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Kabwe market traders discriminate against street vendors

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A glimpse of Kabwe Central Business District after day one of a vigorous cleaning exercise carried out by the council, the provincial leadership and assistance from state police.
A glimpse of Kabwe Central Business District after day one of a vigorous cleaning exercise carried out by the council, the provincial leadership and assistance from state police.
Central Province Minister Sydney Mushanga has expressed displeasure that traders in Kabwe markets are allegedly not welcoming vendors who were removed from the streets.

Mr. Mushanga said it was displeasing that traders that were removed from the streets in a bid to contain the spread of cholera are not being allowed to conduct their business at any market.

Mr. Mushanga said this during a media briefing this morning.

“It has come to my attention that traders who were removed from the streets are being discriminated upon and not allowed to do business at any market,” he said.

The Provincial Minister has since directed Kabwe Municipal Council to immediately move in and address the situation.

He said the local authority has control over market management and should therefore summon the leaders and discuss how to allocate the available stands in the markets.

He noted that currently, Kabwe has 1, 913 stands and 144 shops that are available for allocation.

Mr. Mushanga said he had no doubt that all the marketeers would be accommodated if all the space was accounted for.

He advised marketeers that have been operating from the markets not to discriminate against others because markets and bus stations belong to everyone.

A combined team of defence forces and Kabwe municipal council police swung into action yesterday to unblock the drainages and remove the vendors from the central business district (CBD) of Kabwe and surrounding areas in a bid to curb the spread of cholera and other waterborne diseases.

And Mr. Mushanga has directed Lukangwa Water and Sewerage Company and Kabwe Municipal Council (KMC) to provide markets with services such as ablution blocks and refuse pits to ensure sanitary conditions improve in trading places.

The Provincial Minister also took a swipe at some car-wash owners whom he ordered to ensure that the water flowing from their business places has somewhere to collect.

He has observed that most car-washes had no drainage system to direct the water while some were operating in filthy environment.

Mr. Mushanga has since warned that failure to comply will lead to closure of such premises to avoid the spread of cholera and other waterborne diseases.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mushanga has urged Kabwe residents to support interventions that have been put in place to counter the spread of the shame disease.

He also advised people to avoid handshakes as one preventive measure against the spread of cholera which has since been recorded in Kabwe and other districts of Central Province.

6 COMMENTS

  1. STREET VENDING MUST SIMPLY BE OUTLAWED WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTING MORE PROPER MARKETS- AND GOOD FOR THEIR REVENUE COLLECTION.

  2. Can’t blame the market traders. The street vendors thought they were smart by abandoning markets to go and put filthy in our towns. Now they have brought us cholera let them pay for their sins, never mind what my leader southern koswe hh says is of no consequence on the votes.

  3. I very much support this action, that way our streets will be kept kept. This will also reduce congestion and improve our Environmental Management System.

  4. Street vendors must never be allowed back on streets. For first time in 25 years there is some sanity on the streets of Lusaka. Politicians, plz don’t encourage the scourge to go on unabated.

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