Friday, March 29, 2024

Zambia to ‘shut down’ every last Saturday of the month for clean up

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Carbbage piled at Kapata Market in Chipata District which is campaigning for a city status
Carbbage piled at Kapata Market in Chipata District which is
campaigning for a city status

Government has announced that all forms of business and trading will be stopped every last Saturday of the month to allow for massive cleaning up of the country.

Local Government Minister Vincent Mwale said in an interview that the shutdown which will run for three hours is in line with the newly signed Statutory Instrument (SI) compelling all Zambians to participate in cleaning activities.

Mr. Mwale said the shut down on every last Saturday of the month is part of measures aimed at enforcing the Keep Zambia Clean and Healthy campaign.

“Every morning during the last Saturday of the month from 08:00 hours to 11:00 hours, we are going to shut down the country, we are going to stop trading, we are going to stop all activities, the last Saturday of the month, everyone is going to get together for three hours to clean up the country,” Mr. Mwale explained.

The Local Government and Housing Minister admitted that the previous Keep Zambia Clean campaigns never yielded any good results.

55 COMMENTS

    • This is a great idea. And yet some people are complaining, saying “that’s what the councils are for.” It’s only 3 hours people. Don’t be lazy. Get your work clothes on, go out there and help clean up your city. Of course this shouldn’t be a substitute for a government implemented sanitation system. But the government cannot do everything ! Again the government should not substitute a daily sanitation system with this one time a month exercise. This should be seen as just an additional to the already running sanitation system. So don’t cop out of implementing a sanitation system just because people are helping clean up the country once a month. Other than that, it’s a great idea worth supporting. It’s working in Rwanda and should work in Zambia, too. KEEP ZAMBIA CLEAN!

  1. Imwe ba chipantepante PF , just get a cleaning system in place with people paid to clean ……where do you take the bussiness rates to ? You can’t organise a simple cleaning regime now you want to employ your caders to be sitting down businesses ???

    • But these PF people’s incompetence is annoying.There are already systems in place rates and other fines are paid by citizens to run these activities they have chosen to allow the f00ls they call cadres to get away with looting these resources and there solution FORCED LABOUR.For the amount of money these Ministers are getting it is annoying that they exhibit such incompetence.Mr Mwale is this not forced labour?Is this not unconstitutional?Those phones the citizens provide for you are supposed to be well used,you should have consulted lawyers at AG’s chambers it is free bwana minister.Yesterday it was Dora exposing the president’s crimes today it is this Grade 7

  2. Businesses pay bussiness rates …..get some of that money to pay for cleaning every day………creat employment.

    • Spaka like lilo
      They cant get it,they want donors to come and hold seminars on simple things like how to use the income that is the preserve of the councils

  3. Opposing faggots should know that its from 08:00hrs to 11:00hrs (4 hours) only in a month.Even business needs a conducive environment.Its not just about making profits no kunya ifisushi but wiping out your dirty assses … Those against the move its like saying sininga gele mavuzi kayili business will be down …

    • No one is opposing cleaning but we are saying put a proper system in place to clean everyday ……what is hard about organising a cleaning regime everyday ??

      Ohhh there are no kickbacks to be made….and businesses already pay rates which are being stolen…. so will not pay more for cleaning…

      .

    • Spaka like lilo ..You have to be the dumbest monkey in the zoo.The idea is to get everyone involved on a full throttle so that our mindset can switch on the “Keep Zambia Clean, Green and Healthy”.Cleanliness should be part of the business and in your blood.Have ever you wondered why you never forget to flash your toilet immediately after disposing your matuvi? The answer is simple its in your DNA after your mother taught you to flash immediately after use .Give it say three months and boom it will be in your blood not liter anyhow.

    • Spaka like lilo ..You have to be the ddumbest mmonkey in the zoo.The idea is to get everyone involved on a full throttle so that our mindset can switch on the “Keep Zambia Clean, Green and Healthy”.Cleanliness should be part of the business and in your blood.Have ever you wondered why you never forget to flash your toilet immediately after disposing your matuv!? The answer is simple its in your DNA after your mother taught you to flash immediately after use .Give it say three months and boom it will be in your blood not liter anyhow.

    • You are the same dimwits who think you can teach adults by holding monthly gatherings , now you want to shut bussiness ? Why can’t GRZ put in place a system of cleaning …..you see when you are used to mediocre leadership like you are , a cleaning regime is not possible to you.

    • Whether HH , George Mpombo or Muliokela sisi seve tigela.Mavuzi nayo tigela.Suit azvala.Shirt azatakinya.Vusushi va ng’ombe kwamene uko ku Kasama Mansion

    • They will just stay home untill 11.00 , after all they already pay rates and taxes……lekani kuba makawalala imwe…..

    • Spaka like lilo
      Reading posts from the likes of ******* **** is really annoying.It does not work that way baba.This is simple hygiene issue and ******* your friend is telling you to put in place systems.If that is the way things should be done you could find even corporate institutions joining,they will only join for fear of repercusions.We cant all be cleaners sir,remember Adam Smith and division of labour.This Mwale way of thinking is archaic and smucks of dullness.Remove cadres from the markets bus stops etc create a system and manage it well.In case you dont realise there are people who see the creation of a cleaning system as a way of not only getting councils to make money but a way of creating employment.And if you should know as usual your dull PF does not realise that this…

    • Sparka like lilo…way too much complaining. This is not a bad idea. It works in Rwanda and has proven to be very effective. It also helps the citizens to become hygiene conscious. Of course it shouldn’t be a substitute for a sanitation system that the government is supposed to put in place. It’s only 3 hours. Find a place to volunteer. Get your work clothes on and help clean up your city. Stop whining ya lazy citizen.

  4. Then whats the duty of the Council…its supposed to be their daily duty…it wont work because people will stay in their homes

  5. make it a practice to clean ur surrounding every day! 3 months, this is a pilot project still on trials i believe!

  6. I am still at a loss to imagine that cleanliness is a government program! How!? That is certainly not sustainable. You will continue to re-launch into people’s unchanging attitudes towards their own wellbeing. Reinforce policies towards decent living, low pollution of every kind, and respect for hygiene. Get down to zero tolerance for littering and provide consistent collection of garbage at low cost. Disrupting business and economic activity even for a day is a useless resort.

  7. Nearly every body in Zambia went through primary school , already some primary school leavers from last year are on the streets…….it would make sense to introduce an environmental taught subject in the cariculum that teaches our children how to look after our environment.

  8. When Mobutu Sese Seko failed to govern properly, the dictator introduced “Salongo alingi na Mosala”; meaning everyone should participate in cleaning the towns. It was a big flop!

  9. let them clean every month so that they learn to keep their surroundings clean; but after 6 months; but paid workers keen every day; fine people who throw rubbish any how; i have told Zambians this hundreds of time; had leaders acted; there would have been no cholera;

  10. Why should you shut down? What are they council workers doing from Monday to Friday of everyday of the month…are you going to pay people overtime for working on Saturday apart from yourselves who will be getting allowances.

    • It is more than that my friend Jay Jay.This in effect is a constitutional breach they want to impose forced labour,this is nothing but further proof of PF incompetence.They want Commando and other cadres to continue looting council revenues will imposing forced labour on their citizens.

  11. Yaba Zambia in the sun. This is a very good Government. Well done. All MPs, Councilors should be in forefront. Ba Mwale Nabalanda.

  12. Go to eastern province and see how marketeers leave the famous Saturday market in Chipata every evening after business hours, they sweep and all the rubbish discarded in the right dumping site and they just cover their goods at their stands and no one steals. You can’t wait for a month to clean a public place, marketeers get organised and handle your own affairs to get rid of political meddling in your affairs. No one will come to your markets on a Saturday full of vulgar cadres harassing innocent people.

    • No one steals for a reason…just like in Gambia no one closes their doors during the day if you attempt to steal that is the last thing you will ever steal in your life, same with Eastern Province!!

  13. Why do people pay taxes for. Marketeers are also forced to pay all kinds of fees. The question is where is this thieving government taking this money. I wouldn’t clean and will glad tell others not to, the council was established for this purpose. You want to expose more people to diseases but making them come in contact with dirty, think about people’s huge

    • Exactly …Zambians are docile people its no wonder they are paying Road Tax and Toll Fees at the same time without question.

  14. Makes very good reading. In order for this keep zed clean Campaign to work effectively we have to identify & deal with the root cause which in this case is illegal trade tuntemba everywhere markets which are not zoned street vending to mention a but a few. The councils failure to provide disposal bins and garbage collection trucks and disposal points. It will be good that everyone cleans their homes and trading places & then keep vigil on disposing of litter and it’s collection.

  15. Instead of increasing working hours to increase production in the wake of all this public holidays that we have, we do the opposite and reduce even more working hours. Don’t try to copy Rwanda their economy is in a far better state than ours. They have even launched their own airline rwandair without going into partnership with Ethiopian. They can afford to stop work for a few hours every month.

  16. Looking past any flawed logic, this, however, infringes on the human rights of those who keep the Sabbath Holy.

  17. This is so backwards. What are city councils doing? These councils make money from one’s birth to death. Where are these funds going? Why can’t these institutions plan and put up some vigorous cleaning schedules?

  18. Businesses have the responsibility to keep the surrounding of where they operate from clean. But it means deposing of any rubbish at designated places or in containers provided. After that, it is the responsibility of the council to collect and environmentally get rid of the rubbish. Individuals are obliged to throw litter and other rubbish in facilities provided – for the council or people paid to do so, to deal with. There are bye-laws to sanction those who breach the regulations. Beyond this, government should not issue directives for wholesome cleaning – due to its own local authorities failures and lack of enforcement. Meanwhile taxes and rates are collected, I suppose to fund the numerous sitting allowances of officials and pay for the opulent life styles of the so called bosses…

  19. That’s the reason why we pay taxes Mr Mwale, to enable the government to pay people to keep Zambia clean!!

  20. I’m sure 5% of your salary and bonuses can pay 5 cleaners monthly salaries. So talk to your counterparts, organize yourselves guys it’s an embarrassment

  21. Government of thieves. When that Saturday comes, I will change my operating hours that every last Saturday of the month will have a late open from 11am to a closing. Maybe I can catch with some sleep

  22. HAHAHAHAHA..U SEE DONT CONDEM ECLS TRIPS HE LEARNT THIS FROM RUANDA , THOUGH HE HASNT BEEN TO NIGERIA , NIGERIA DOES IT VERY WELL BUT ZAMBIA LOL I DOUBT BECAUSE ON SATURDAYS PEOPLE WILL BE INDOORS TILL 11HRS , HENCE NO ONE TO CLEAN

  23. Haha Lazy and stupid Government! Do they really think they can clean up a month worth of rubbish in a day? Why not just provide adequate bins, public toilets and impose fines on people/businesses who litter? Who keeps voting for these clowns to run the country.

  24. Good move GRZ ,its about time you drum some responsibility into irresponsible Zambians.Diligence ,discipline , cleanliness and orderliness are great virtues

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