About 200 traders in Kalabo District yesterday trooped the District Administration offices to protest against the increased stall license fee which is now at K140 000, they claimed was exorbitant.
The aggrieved traders at marched to the DAOs around 09 00 hours yesterday, ululating, singing solidarity songs, hooting and carried placards with one reading: “We want license fees reduction 2011.’’
The traders mainly from the Kalabo main business district later handed in their letter signed by their Secretary Samuel Masiye which was airing their concerns over the increased Stall license fees to District Commissioner Jeff Nalishuwa.
The contents of the letter obtained by ZANIS read in part that “the District Council was charging K140 000 annual stall licence instead of K50 000 charged by Mongu District Council.”
This is despite the fact that Kalabo District has less business activities than that of the provincial headquarters.
The letter furthermore read that, ”transport was expensive in Kalabo which has to date no banks”.
The traders said all payments of workers salaries were made in Mongu where the shopping was done from, further disadvantaging the Kalabo business community and saw no justification why Kalabo Council should charging an exorbitant stall licence fee of K140 000.
In response, Kalabo District Council Secretary Jones Wamulume said it was surprising for the Kalabo business community to complain over the stall licence fee now, when that was the amount that they have been paying since January 2009.
He added that there was even a circular from the Local Government Ministry instructing the council to increase the stall licence fees.
ZANIS
No development in Kalabo. Kick out the corrupt MMD in this year,s elections.
VOTE SATA AND PF COME 2011
Audit Kalabo council and see if they are skimming % off the top of rates charged.
The books will tell a story.
Keep queit trabalists you cant develop Kalabo you thugs.
#3..There is no need for you to show us how small your head is..infact we bembas are the biggest tribalists. We have this complex of wanting to dominate every tribe in Zambia thinking our language is more superior than others..why cant we stop hating and learn to love.. ..treat each with respect as Brothers and Sisters..how do you think america developed??? its becoz they believed in one love and one nation..plse cut this bullshit of tribes and so forth..lets build zambia and make it better
The council should even increase the stall licence fees, they are too low K140,000 PER YEAR???? Too little , atleast k140,000 per month, is better. I guess pipo are demonstrating wanting an increase so that council can operate effectively.
How I wish charges correlated with services provided. Admittedly Kalabo Council is focusing on increasing its revenue collection but this should correspond with services they provide. The Mongu Kalabo Rd once completed is expeted reduce the cost of doing business in Kalabo. Until then the council should be careful not to push too much of its operational costs to its clients.
These thugs of Sata’s administration of Chiluba was there from 1991 to 2001, but did nothing to develop Kalabo, thats when it went down to the ruins, what can you cheat us of now. Mr Sata you disappointed us already, what more do you want from Zambians again, to be honest no one in Kalabo will ever vote for you as you reduced us to zero in your former regime with Chiluba. Whenever we see your face we just see something more than Chiluba in you.
Thank you Mr. Kalaluka, please lets vote 4 a gentleman, not this thief