By Isaac Zulu
The Kabwe Munucipal Council has ordered street vendors to vacate the streets in the next five days, saying the council will not continue encouraging people urinating in the alleys and in the booths.
The Council has told Daily Revelation that vendors have been given until July 31, 2023 to relocate to designated trading places.
“The Markets and Bus Stations Act will be enforced to the latter. Even the tax and bus drivers have been engaged in this matter. And our from those stakeholders’ engagement, it has been resolved that all tax drivers and bus drivers will henceforth not defy the Ministerial Directive,” Council public relations manager Nancy Chenga said. “We are not going to continue encouraging people urinating in the alleys and in the booths.”
Chenga said the local authority has been trying to relocate street vendors for more than two years, but has always been hitting a snag.
She said that individuals who are trading from undesignated places are abrogating the law, saying that the local authority will not reverse its decision on the matter.
She explained that the illegalities being witnessed and conducted on the streets of Kabwe cannot be encouraged to continue because the vice has the potential to pose a health has hazard to both trader and members of the public.
Chenga said that the decision taken by Kabwe Municipal Council is not meant to punish or disadvantage traders, saying the rationale is to bring sanity in trading places.
Chenga also disclosed that the Kabwe Municipal Council has conducted a basis survey, which she said has revealed that there are over 1,500 vacant stands in various markets in the district.
Chenga also said that the said ultimatum is extended to tax drivers and bus operators as well.
