The Councils in Lusaka and Chisamba have embarked on different ventures that will bring about sanity and development in the two districts.
The Lusaka City Council has embarked on a plan to remove unauthorized food and alcohol stands mounted in the Central Business District (CBD) in a quest to improve food hygiene and sanity, while the Chisamba Town Council (CTC) has successfully surveyed points in which it will set up drainages and create roads and install culverts throughout Chisamba District Wards in an effort to link the district to other areas and open up opportunities for the local people.
Lusaka City Council Public Relations Manager Chola Mwamba cited in a statement issued that the action to remove food and alcohol vendors from the CBD is aimed at maintaining sanitation in the city.
Ms Mwamba stated that the Local Authority will not entertain vendors that have mounted cooking and alcohol stands on the island of Cairo Road and Filter Lanes of Lumumba Road because the practice is not only unhygienic but also a nuisance.
“This means that any act, omission, or thing which is, or may be offensive, dangerous to life, or injurious to health is contrary to The Public Health Act Cap 295 Section 67, the Food safety Act No. 7 of 2019, The Liquor Licensing Act No. 20 of 2011 and the Statutory Instrument No. 12 of 2018 (The Local Government (Street Vending and Nuisances) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations, 2018),” she explained
She added that other than the pollution that cooking stands come with, they can also cause fire accidents to the nearby infrastructures and can cause injuries to pedestrians.
Ms Mwamba said that in line with this, the Council has since heightened its inspections of food outlets in the CBD and will extend the exercise to other areas in the city where illegal catering services are being offered.
“The Local Authority had already warned the people engaging in illegal cooking and illicit sale of alcohol on the streets,” she said
Ms Mwamba said that those operating such businesses have since been guided that the operation shall lead to seizure of articles, removal of all stands and makeshift structures that have been built within the CBD as they are considered to be a Public Health Hazard.
Meanwhile, Chisamba Town Council Public Relations Officer Nakubiana Shabongo cited in a statement issued that the Council is eager to develop a good road network for the people of Chisamba District as it will have many positive effects such as stimulating development and commercial activities as the roads will link farmers to buyers and reduce both the cost of doing business and time of travel.
“The survey was conducted in line with the feedback from the Civic Leaders who gave guidance on the priority areas to be tackled,” Ms Shabongo said
Ms Shabongo added that the Chisamba Council recently procured a Tractor Backhoe Loader (TLB) amounting to an estimated K1.2 million to facilitate a good road network in the district and it will also be used for farming purposes by the Local Authority.
“We are likely to start works by next week, this is because the supplier of the TLB is currently training our staff that will be handling the machine and once this is done, we will finalise all the logistics,” she said
She noted that the grading and graveling of roads across the district will be conducted by the works department of the Chisamba Town Council, therefore a good road network remains vital in linking businesses thus alleviating poverty.
Ms Shabongo cited that connectivity remains important and will ease access to so many opportunities for the people of Chisamba District and as the Local Authority, priority has been given to having a good road network and water supply which has been a challenge to the people within this locality.
Ms Shabongo has appealed to the public to desist from the habit of dumping rubbish in the drainage systems as this brings about drainages being clogged which causes areas and roads to be waterlogged.
“Drainages collect, transport and dispose off water through an outlet, which might get blocked because of littering in drainages,” she said
Ms Shabongo cited that the project is very significant as it will change the face of the district as it is aimed at opening up and linking the district to many opportunities.
Good start LCC. Starting with the admission you have gone crazy. To quote:
“..that will bring about sanity and development”
I hope sanity will prevail afterwards
This is a good move as long as there is engagement with the affected people. Ideas come from different levels and as such the brilliant entrepreneurs should be allocated or offered alternative solutions and support. After all, economic development is also supported by these small make shift store owners.