Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Augustine Kasongo has directed the Department of Social Welfare in Kitwe to trace the families of the remaining street kids in Kitwe and ensure that they are taken to school in view of the introduced free education policy.

Mr Kasongo said there should be no excuse for any child to stay out of school when government is providing free education.

In a speech read on his behalf by his deputy Daniel Kamenga, during the launch of the District and Community Mobilization on the roll out of the Children’s Code Act No. 2 of 2022, Mr. Kasongo also challenged parents to provide peaceful and conducive environments in homes for kids to grow up from.

He noted that some children are pushed into the streets because of parents and guardians who are abusive and ignorant about the rights of children.

“I am confident that at the end of the meeting today we will have shared the information pertaining to the legal and policy frameworks in Zambia on Children’s rights so that we strengthen service delivery, we need to brainstorm what we can do differently in ensuring that the rights of children are protected and promoted,” he said.

He stated that the country is currently domesticating the United Nations convention on the rights of child (UNCRC) and the African Charter on the rights and Welfare of the Child.

He said the free education policy introduced by the government is a great milestone in the protection and promotion of children’s rights.

And Kitwe District Administrative Officer Mwamba Mulenga said the launch of the children’s rights is timely as it will provide the legal framework on the protection and promotion of children’s rights.

He said a lot needs to be done in sensitizing people on the rights of children.

Luangwa District Commissioner, Luke Chikani, has bemoaned the delay in completion of the construction of the district hospital.

Mr Chikane says currently the hospital has only one ward which is operational, hence the need to expedite the completion of the wards and staff houses.

 Mr Chikane was speaking when Lusaka Provincial Health Director, Simulyamana Choonga called on him at his office.

The District Commissioner further appealed for specialized medical   personnel at the   district hospital to effectively provide the needed health services to the people.

He said the district hospital is currently referring patients to other health facilities due to lack of specialized medical staff at the district hospital.

Mr. Chikani also cited office space and inadequate staff accommodation   as some of the challenges faced by the department of health in the district.

The District Commissioner also appealed to the ministry of health through the provincial Director of health, that they should consider constructing a maternity wing at Luangwa urban clinic.

 Dr. Simulyamana Choonga said his organisation is working hard to ensure that all health facilities have better water reticulation systems as well as a maternity wing.

Dr. Choonga also assured the District Commissioner that he will consult the relevant authorities to help address the challenges faced by the department of health in the district.

“We will consult with relevant authorities to find solutions to various health challenges that the district is facing,” said Dr. Choonga.

Former Kabushi Member of Parliament Bowman Chilosha Lusambo says he is saddened by the manner in which the Kapalala Market in Ndola’s Masala Township has been reconstructed.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Gary Nkombo last month commissioned the New Kapalala Market in Masala that is accommodating close to two thousand traders.

Speaking to Radio Icengelo News in Ndola, Mr. Lusambo said the Kapalala Market is too small in its current state to accommodate all traders in a bid to end street vending.

The former Lusaka Province Minister said the Ministry of Local Government and Ndola City Council have disregarded the original plan of Kapalala Market initiated during the reign of previous PF government.

Mr. Lusambo said the initial plan would have seen Kapalala Market have a police post, clinic, expanded ablution, pavers and shops.

“We intended to put up shops around Kapala Market. That is why President Edgar Lungu should sanction the release of funds for the Kapala Market Project after looking at the plan. The manner in which Kapalala Market has been built is not different from other common markets where people have run away to trade in the streets. We wanted all traders to be accommodated in the market but in its current state the market cannot even accommodate Salaula traders. How can a market have only trading stands? The Government should have over consulted before rushing to open the market,” Mr. Lusambo said.

He said in its current state the Kapalala Market was incomplete.

“The Ndola City Council has disappointed me because they had the original plan for Kapalala Market which has not been followed. There is no way you can rush to open a market that does not even have pavers, there is just dust all over and the rainy season is coming. Where will the beauty of the market be? The Kapalala Market is incomplete in its current state. Our plan has been disregarded. We wanted Kapalala to be a model of a market,” Mr. Lusambo said.

The Kapalala Market was gutted by fire in 2022 and 2017.

The President of the Association of Vendors, Traders, and Marketeers of Zambia, Fredrick Tembo, has applauded the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development for removing street vendors from the Lusaka Central Business District.

The Ministry of Local Government has successfully cleared street vendors from the Lusaka town center.

During an interview in Ndola, Mr. Tembo expressed his belief that the removal of vendors from the Lusaka Town Centre was long overdue and should be supported.

He called for an end to street vending not only in Lusaka but in all parts of the country.

Mr. Tembo suggested that the removal of street vendors from the Central Business District in Lusaka should be extended to all parts of the country.

He declared that street vending must not be tolerated because people are avoiding markets to trade on the streets.

Mr. Tembo commented, “The Government has done a lot in putting up market infrastructure, so we don’t want a situation where we find vendors trading on the streets when markets are empty. Let vendors go to markets. As market leaders, we will be very happy to see vendors trade in those acceptable infrastructures called markets.”

He also claimed that the country has enough markets to accommodate people selling in the streets.

“We are very much delighted by the move taken by the Government through the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, in the sense that they have made the right decision by removing all street vendors. The Government has been spending colossal sums of money on those buildings called markets,” he said.