By Chinoyi Chipulu
The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has cautioned opposition members against politicising the demolition of stalls near Heroes stadium in Mandevu constituency.
Stalls at Lupili Market, opposite Heroes Stadium in Lusaka were demolished after authorities enforced a court order that granted ownership of the land to a company identified as SOFITEL, which aimed to secure the site.
Lusaka deputy mayor Ketty Nanyangwe stated that the land was privately owned and the government could not and would not interfere with or break the sanctity of legally binding commercial agreements.
Nanyangwe stated that it was important to state that the land in question is not public land but was sold to a private developer, SOFITEL, by the previous government through a legitimate commercial transaction.
She stated that the matter was adjudicated upon in court, and the resultant court order in favour of SOFITEL was lawfully executed by the Undersheriffs of the Lusaka High Court.
“We are deeply concerned by the protest staged by a number of traders on Saturday, which resulted in a temporary blockage of the Great North Road and reports of isolated acts of vandalism. While the Lusaka City Council understands the frustrations of our traders, we urge them to operate strictly from legally designated trading spaces to avoid future disruptions to their livelihoods,” stated Nanyangwe.
