Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Lusaka City Council closes 12 bars in Devils Street, picks up 10 under age patrons

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You can hide but I can see you! An unidentified man hides a beer behind his back in Lusaka

The combined team of Lusaka City Council (LCC) Public Health Inspectors, Council Police and State Police over the weekend closed 12 bars and apprehended 10 suspected underage age patrons.

This was done during an operation conducted in Emmasdale (Devil Street) and Garden Compounds.

The operation meant to check on compliance with laws and and regulations relating to liquor trade, started at 22:00 Hours on Friday last week and ended at 02:30 hours on Saturday.

The affected bars were found operating outside stipulated hours contrary to the Liquor Licensing (Permitted Hours) Regulations of 2012.

The law stipulates that a bars and bottle stores (retail liquor) must open at 10:00 Hours and close at 22:00 Hours.

Night clubs and social clubs must open at 10:00 hours and close at 24:00 Hours while wholesale liquor must open at 08:00 Hours and close at 18:00 Hours.

The only exempted establishments are hotels, lodges, Guest houses, Restaurants, boarding houses, camps and camp sites which can sell liquor at any time to clients who are lodging with them and people that are buying food with regards to restaurants.

LCC Spokesman George Sichimba said sadly, most establishments trading in liquor are not operating within the law hence the operations to check on compliance levels.

“Apart from operating outside stipulated hours three bars were also found admitting underage patrons while two bars were found trading without liquor licenses contrary to the Liquor Licensing Act No. 20 of 2011. And of the 10 apprehended suspected underage patrons, four were girls and six were boys,” Mr Sichimba said.

He said the young guzzlers were taken to Emmasdale Police Station and Garden Chilulu Police Post for screening and further action.

“LCC wishes to warn people operating liquor establishments to always abide by the law in their operations. The council will not relent in it’s quest to bring sanity in the city and prevent young people from alcohol abuse,” he said.

14 COMMENTS

  1. you close bars for not being compliant but the whole f–ken country is not complaint. You dont clean streets, doba ngungulu but close bars. Double standard. I’m not suggesting you don’t enforce the law all I’m saying lead by example by cleaning and being a complaint local government

    • These are old colonial clauses; the councils are lay?? They need to be revised the law. How do you close a night club at midnight? Change. Clubs should open at 17.00hours and close at 03.00. Wholesales can operate at 24/7

  2. Beer in Zambia has become a tradition. People think that it’s a way of life and yet nikisi!
    People complain of low salaries and yet za moba zilipo!

    • Is that Lungu hiding that bottle of beer???

      Anyway, keep up the good work Lusaka City Council.

      Every little bit helps, thank you.

      Let us clean up Zambia together.

  3. Night clubs and social clubs must open at 10:00 hours and close at 24:00 Hours while wholesale liquor must open at 08:00 Hours and close at 18:00 Hours.

    iyi yeve ni boza!!!
    pa zed we club until early in the morning.
    ever heard Friday njikata and shipwe shipwe?
    ama dance yanasalako?

    • Eeee even if its been dull….the story gives areas which are exempted ….and state house camp falls under those areas. Whats wrong with your head?

  4. “Night clubs and social clubs must open at 10:00 hours and close at 24:00 Hours”

    Good luck with this one…this one needs to be revised to 02:00.

  5. Junta is sold everywhere ….There are more junta junks at bus stops & bus station than commuters.
    Be fair to us serious guzzlers and clubbers ! What night club can open at 22:00 and close at 24:00 – is it a joke!

  6. This is a good move but it needs to be followed by regular and routine efforts. We are destroying our country because of lawlessness. Beer drinking in Zambia has lost its meaning because it’s no longer about socializing but about getting intoxicated, and engaging in all sorts of immoral activities. Please heavily fine those found operating illegally so that others can learn from that. Tuleisebanya sana muno calo.

  7. 10hrs to 22hrs, I don’t think its good enough.. Because that time is when people should work, hence you should put it as 17hrs to 22hrs or 23hrs and night clubs 20hrs to 05hrs…all The same job well done

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