Kitwe City Council (KCC) has expressed concern over the increase in the number of illegally erected billboards bearing political campaign messages in the central business district (CBD).
The local authority has since commenced scrutinizing the billboards on the highways and CBD. According to a statement issued by KCC Public Relations Manager Chola Mwamba, warns that those found illegally erected will be brought down with immediate effect.
Ms. Mwamba explains that the rules that govern placement of bill boards apply to both individuals, institutions and political parties.
She further clarified in an interview that the rules that apply to putting up of bill boards is meant to avoid compromising road safety.
“Any individual or a groups, including political parties who wish to erect a new bill board, must first seek clearance from Road Development Agency (RDA) and the local authority.
“ Illegalities shall not be entertained because they are designated places for placement of such structures,” she said.
She stated that KCC has the mandate to ensure that placement of posters ,billboards and stickers within the district is guided to enhance road safety and avoid defacing the district.
The council has since appealed to members of the public to seek clarification from it’s office before erecting bill boards and putting up of posters.
Following Elections Commission of Zambia ( ECZ ) ‘s ban on political campaigns ahead of the 12 August polls , a number of contesting political parties have as guided utilised alternative means such as bill boards and other social media to wow eligible voters to vote for them.
What rubbish. Political campaigns have been outlawed because of the pandemic, and alternative means were advocated – and then Kitwe council wakes up and says NO BILLBOARDS! No sense! And does this include billboards of the ruling party? Probably not!
Bring them down ….why are you just complaining?
All UPND Bill boards are a danger to road safety…..
Points of correction:
1. Political campaigns have not been banned, only public rallies have. It only goes to show how narrow our definition of campaign has been. These were a waste of production time for businesses and offices.
2. The posters and bill boards are not to wow voters, but to woo them.
Good grief! Who are some of these journalists and editors kansi? You spoil our reading minds.
@Lloyd bang on right bro…. only PF billboard messages are to be displayed. What a f***** up country it is. And the people therein are so docile. They live in fear. No sense at all. UBUPUBA BANE is COSTLY.
I am sure most of them are of UPND… as they don’t understand any rules or laws in front of their election campaign.
If a political party like UPND does illegal things then what to expect from the people especially from the youths.
Illegal campaigns, billboards, breaching the protocols. Why only UPND is involved in all these things. HH is behaving carelessly now, wonder what he will do if he came into power? God please save us from #Bally.
UPND spreading destruction across Zambia in the name of the election campaign…Period!!!!!
I want our government and law to look into the matter of rising covid-19 cases again in Zambia. Nothing is more important than human lives. They must take serious action against HH and his team!
If President Lungu is a blessing from God then HH is a curse to this nation! Even Hitler must be ashamed of him.
Our question is, why to erected billboards when their placements are already given? Did UPND is doing it purposely to give pain and stress to others. Not just in CBD, there must be more places where UPND has erected billboards.
Road safety and people’s lives are on the top before any election and its campaign. Hope political parties behave responsibly, hence after.
Officially, Zambia entered the third wave of the deadly virus. This is what HH and his team wanted! #BanUPND
Upnd only knows illegal things. They learn from their leader who crookedly sold parastatals
AND PF WILL WIN HANDS DOWN BECAUSE THE OPPOSITION HAVE NO PLAUSIBLE ALTERNATIVES.
SONTA PO!!!!