Mon, 19 Dec 2016 13:58:07 +0000
By Wilson Pondamali
KABWE Central Member of Parliament Tutwa Ngulube has described as propaganda rumours that he is planning to chase away all street vendors trading in the Kabwe town business area.
Mr Ngulube has denied allegations that he was also siding with the residents of Aerodrome community whose houses were demolished in a land dispute with ZALCO Industries.
Kabwe Central Business District (CBD) is heavily congested with street vendors, thereby making it difficult for shop owners and market traders to do their business fairly as they are disadvantaged by the vendors who do not pay anything to the municipal council.
Last week, rumours spread indicating that Mr Ngulube, who is PF legal counsel had directed that all vendors be removed with immediate effect.
According to unverified information, Mr. Ngulube’s decision came in the wake of a meeting he was alleged to have had with market traders and shop owners.
It was reported that during the meeting with the two bodies, the lawmaker resolved that he would direct the local authority to rid all streets and shop corridors of vendors.
But in an interview, Mr. Ngulube said at no time had he made any commitment to the effect that all vendors would have to be evicted from the streets because he felt and shared the plight of the street vendors struggling to make ends meet.
He also said that he was sympathetic to the families that lost their land due to demolition in the ZALCO land wrangle.
“First and foremost, I want to state that at no time did I ever make that resolution to get vendors out of the streets. These are people that are struggling to make ends meet and how can I be so stone-hearted as to instantly cut them from their source of livelihood? I have not even made a statement on the matter of street vendors and have not appointed anyone to do that on my behalf.
“When time to deal with street vendors and Tutwa Ngulube will have to make a statement, it shall be done by Tutwa Ngulube. Similarly, I am with the vendors and with the residents of Aerodrome area whose land was grabbed and their properties damaged,” said Mr. Ngulube.
Meanwhile, there has been an outcry by the marketeers trading at the Town Centre market also known as Green market that their sales were negatively affected because people prefer to buy from the streets and not markets.
“Our businesses are negatively affected because most people prefer to buy from the streets and we blame the council for allowing that. In the markets, we pay levies but the vendors do not and the council is not protecting us. Most market stalls are empty while most streets are littered with vendors,” said Andrew Mutale, a marketeer.
