MARKETS, PLOTS NOT FOR CADRES

Thu, 26 Jan 2017 09:05:05 +0000

By Annie Zulu

 THE running of markets, bus stations and land administration is the preserve of the local authorities and not cadres from either the governing party or the opposition, President Lungu has stated.

President Lungu’s special assistant for press public relations Amos Chanda said the head State has made it clear that the running of markets, bus stations and the administration of land was not the responsibility of political party cadres but local authorities because public places should be accessible to all Zambians irrespective of their political affiliations.

And Mr Chanda has reiterated President Lungu’s emphasis that the running of markets, bus stations and land allocation were a preserve of councils who were the legal authorities.

He said all government and party officials should, therefore, stick by the rules and regulations that governed the operation of markets and bus stops including land allocation.

“The President wishes to emphasise that the operations of bus stops, market and land allocation are a preserve of local councils of respective councils. So all party and

government officials must stick by the stated policy which is very clear that the councils and local authorities are the only authority charged with the responsibility to manage the markets and bus stops and the allocation of land,” Mr Chanda said.

Mr Chanda also reiterated the President’s call for dialogue among different stakeholders that might get into conflict with issues of markets, bus stations and land allocation.

He said no other authority should take the law into their hands, as the law enforcement agencies were there to ensure that lawlessness was not entertained. “The President wishes to emphasise that dialogue must take place between stakeholder groups that may come into conflicts with certain issues such as markets, bus stations and land. No other authority should take the law into their own hands and purport that they are administering this bus stop to the exclusion of any other interest groups,” Mr Chanda said.

Mr Chanda further revealed that President Lungu has since held discussions with different stakeholders on government’s policy regarding the operations of markets, bus stations and land allocation.